Mutants Dawn
by Dark Eyed Angel
Summary: A Crossover with the Book Dragonsdawn...When Dr. Hank McCoy opts to join the group selected to colonize Pern 2 unlikely Mutants are woken up and the paradise that Pern was supposed to be gets turned upside down.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own any of Anne McCaffrey's characters or concepts, I am not making any money from this, and I do not own any Marvel characters either…with that said on with the show, Some passages my be parallel from the book if completely necessary, I do not own these passages .

Author's Notes: If you haven't read Dragonsdawn I'd suggest that you do because, I am not going to paraphrase every detail I'm more going to be focused on the mutant involvement with Pern.

Summary:

_"Probes are coming through, sir." Sallah Telgar announced without taking her eyes from the flickering lights on her terminal._

Dr. Hank McCoy was barely aware that the Admiral Paul Benden had responded. His eyes resting squarely on the new planet he was to call home. He was reluctant at first mainly because the concept of equality for all humans and mutants alike was something he had started to think would never happen; But after a fifteen year voyage through space they were finally approaching the sun-drenched planet. There were three Colony ships., the Yokohama, the Bahrain and the Buenos Aires.

The good doctor had qualified for the Pern Expedition based on his expertise in several fields, The chemistry field, the medical field, and astronomy were just a few. He had more doctorates than they had on file, and a person of his 'genius' as he was told would make a perfect addition to the colony. He had had only two conditions that they include in the charter equality for humans and mutants and that he remain awake through the entire journey…he hated the deep sleep that the majority of the passengers were in, it always made him so cranky when he awakened. Hank had fully understood this was a one way trip, at frist that bothered him but ever since the disappearance of one of the X-men…Wolverine…after a battle with some upgraded sentinels he had been somewhat depressed. He'd been fighting along side wolverine, and despite their opposing demeanors in a fight the two made a wonderful team. Until he disappeared, he replayed that fight night after night in his head and he still couldn't figure out what had happened to his comrade. He was there then he wasn't. He'd figured that the impulsive wolverine was just following another impulse, that's how he fought, most of his skills were completely instinctual, and that's why they fought so well together, he mused. When Hank fully let go, completely let instinct take over him, his similarities to the smaller man was uncanny. He sighed, but the fight had been won and Wolverine had not returned to his side or anyone else's for that matter. While they hadn't found a body, Xavier had gotten nothing with Cerebro.

"Everything alright Dr. McCoy?" Sallah asked him breaking him out of his bleak thoughts.

"Hmm?" He raised furry eyebrows for a second, Sallah thought resembling a deer in headlights, but he quickly rearranged him face into a reassuring smile, "My apologies Ms. Telgar…just lost in thought…"

A lot of people were coming to Pern for a fresh start, to escape the confounds of the past. Though the Doctor had been more than congenial he always managed to talk around the one thing that Sallah could tell was constantly on his mind. Sallah had stopped trying to pry it out of him after the first couple of times, now she just took to offering reassuring smiles. She often would tell him that all would be different on Pern. He'd reply with a nod or a distant smile. This time Sallah reached out and squeezed his soft hand.

"Soon you won't have time for that, doctor," she told him lowering her voice.

Hank replied with a polite smile, not mentioning how well he could multitask He liked Sallah, she was a genuinely sweet woman. He'd given her quite the scare when she'd first awaken, Hank had taken it upon himself to monitor the freshly awaken. The first thing Sallah's blurry eyes fell on was him, and the scream she'd let out had brought anyone near by running. Including Avril Bitra, he had a definite distaste for that woman, but he supposed her being an astrogator made her more than useful. Rumor had it that Admiral Benden had found her useful in more personal ways. Hank couldn't blame him she was strikingly beautiful but her nasty attitude turned him completely off. He knew her and Betsy would have had some serious problems had she been awake but out of all fifteen years he'd only spent five years with woman being that her presence was non essential, but he had gotten her excepted by telling them they were engaged. They had been skeptical at first until Betsy backed up his claim. He couldn't believe he had lied, but he wasn't about to go to another planet without her, and she was very much willing to start a new life with him completely separated from all the hatred Earth harbored.

"Well Doctor, how do you feel? You may very well be the first Marriage on Pern?" Emily Boll smiled evenly.

Hank swallowed hard addressing the governor with a warm smile to cover his nervousness, "Utterly terrified…"

Everyone within earshot laughed at that. All within the room had gotten used to his presence where as at first his mutation had been looked on with curiosity. Granted he had noticed a small handful of people had a distaste for mutants but it was a far cry better than Earth. Plus none of those people were in charge.

"Oh doctor…" Emily started.

"Please call me Hank," he smiled, he'd just recently met the woman, but he'd decided he'd like her immediately.

"Hank…I here she is a beautiful woman what do you have to be nervous about?" Governor Boll asked.

He smiled in response, "That she is…" he said before excusing himself, to assist the medics in awaking the colonists who were being awakened in the order of their usefulness. The glimpse on the bridge had only been a short break for the doctor, who'd insisted that all of the medics get some sort of break, there was no room for error because of fatigue. They'd put him in charge of the entire medical staff, and he had taken on plenty of other duties as well.

Suddenly a Medic rushed from the deep sleep decks, with a bold spraying of red across his white coat. Hank's nose immediately told him it was blood.

"Dr. McCoy…" he panted gripping Hank's lab coat tightly in fear, "We…we…I…he's dying…"

"What on earth? Slow down…start again tell me what happened…Hari" Hank told him calmly placing his hands on the young man's shoulders.

The young medic, was obviously of Native American decent, his olive skin had a light spraying of blood droplets that he wiped at earnestly his efforts only smearing them. His thick dark hair fell into his eyes, he hurriedly pushed it from his face taking some of the blood with it.

"We opened the wrong chamber, woke up the wrong one…." He panted trying to gather his wits, "We didn't see the Do not Wake note…we missed it…we woke him up…he Killed Dr. Redden…"

Dr. Redden was a Biologist from Earth who'd made some astounding breakthroughs but treatment of some lab animals was always questionable.

Hank left the boy there bursting through the doors, smartly the deck was empty save for the medics luckily they must have been the only ones they were waking at the time.

"He just jumped out and stabbed him, we couldn't stop him, he shouldn't have been able to move like that so early…muscles should have…" the Medic started as Hank swooped down and check the Dr. Redden's pulse. He was dead already, Hank examined the wound closer then stumbled back in surprise.

"Oh my stars and Fucking garters…it can't be…" Hank muttered standing up and looking around.

"Yeah he's gone Doc…" Hari told him.

"Hank ignored him and addressed the group, "Did anyone follow the man?"

"Riley insisted on it…she was gone before we could stop her…" one of the girls told him.

"Which way did he go?" Hank asked grimly.

They all pointed toward the door. Hank though idly that the woman would stand a better chance than any of the men in the room, as he darted out of the room trying to pick up a scent. He got nothing at first. Frustrated he slammed a furry large fist into the wall. Then an idea hit him, they were alike on a primal level. Hank closed his eyes and imagined what he would do as a panicked animal. He ran wildly around a minute causing curious looks. If he had gone this way he'd been more discreet. He sighed a moment thinking he had been wistfully mistaken. As he stopped suddenly, he caught the familiar scent he'd been looking for, he took off with renewed enthusiasm. His nose was up in the air like a hound, so much caught up in tracking he nearly tripped over young Riley. Her unconscious body lie sprawl in the hallway toward the back of the ship. Hank looked the small blonde over…she was unharmed. Which suggest he had some of his wits about him, but the fact that she lay in the hallway with no attempt to hide the body said otherwise. He propped her up against the wall but left her there. As Hank kept going he suddenly knew were the man was headed. He was headed to Hank's own room. Hank sped up stopping abruptly outside his door. He cautiously opened the door, finding the small hairy and quite naked man crouched in the corner growling menacingly at him.

"Easy Wolverine, I am a friend…remember?" he said keeping his distant.

He nodded but didn't respond verbally.

"Are you hurt?' he asked taking a step closer.

The blunt reply that came next was unexpected, but nonetheless made Hank laugh, "I need some fucking pants…I'm freezing my balls off."

"Wolverine…" Hank smiled digging through clothes to find something for the man, but paused realizing all of his close would be to big, "Just a moment please don't go anywhere…"

"Don't think that'll be a problem…" he muttered as Hank disappeared out the door again.

A bit later after finding Logan some clothes, he found himself standing in front of Admiral Paul Benden and Governor Emily Boll. Another man stood quietly behind them with a deeply sad frown. Logan could tell he'd been through a lot and lost something important to him. At his age you learned these things, he'd been alive since before America's revolutionary war.

"Mr…." Emily started and Logan filled it in.

"Logan…just Logan…" he sighed.

"Okay Logan," she said a little more gently reacting to the exhausted tone in the man's voice, "You murdered a man…we really have nothing in the charter…"

"Governor Boll, If I may?" Hank interrupted.

"Of course Doctor…Hank…" she smiled thinly.

"Logan is not one who should have been put in deep sleep to begin with, just rousing him from a normal sleep you have a chance of getting stabbed, due to some unfortunate events in his past…but my friend here has told me that for the past 17yrs., 15 of which spent in deep sleep of course, making that the two years prior he was used as that man's personal lab rat…" Hank informed them, "putting those two known facts together …his reaction was completely understandable."

Admiral Benden didn't look convinced and frankly he didn't seem to understand, Logan sighed heavily, "Admiral I've been a 'lab rat' one too many time by one too many people…" Logan unsheathed his long metal claws that extended a foot from his hand, "This was the result from the first time…I still dream about the first time…completely under water…breathing mask over my face…"

Hank noticed his eyes loose focus and he took a casual step in his direction.

"I was hooked up to so many different things, the metal they used is unbreakable…the temperature the metal had to be at to keep it hot was almost equivalent to the sun's heat…almost…and they injected it into my bones, they automatically rejected it forcing it out…but the water cooled it down so it hardened around my bones…that's the logics behind it…I didn't care about the logic…all of my nerves were on fire the pain was so excruciating I snapped and killed everyone in there and trashed the lab…it took months before some people found me living in the woods like an animal…."

"How could you have possibly survived that?" Emily asked sympathy filling her voice.

"Accelerated cellular regenerated…" Hank started.

Logan unsheathed his claws then re-sheathed them showing them the wounds in the back of his hand and in that instant they were gone, "I heal fast…keeps me from aging too…" he shrugged, "Mutation comes with heightened senses, agility, strength…instincts…animal instincts…"

"That would explain the irrational reaction to waking up from deep sleep…" came the deep voice of the man that stood behind them.

"Yes Ongola so it would seem…" The Admiral replied nodding.

"I know you had no choice in this trip but understand, this is a one way trip, there is no going back…so you may as well make the best of it…Pern is a beautiful planet…I will not have a crime like that committed on that planet…it won't be marred like all the others…so how about we put you on probation… try and make yourself useful we have a lot of hard work ahead of us…" Emily smiled/

Logan recognized that for what it was, 'don't fuck up…we have no idea what to do if you do…'

"We'll just tell everyone he had an accident waking up…" Admiral told him, "Luckily the Doctor can pick up any slack for him…"

"I would be delighted…" Hank smiled at the challenge.

Logan nodded in agreement with it all, he reached up absent to scratch a rather persistent itch on his shoulder. His fingers were met with a small bit of plastic, he grasped it, realizing it was an IV tube he braced himself. He pulled hard on the tube and he felt it pulling along the bones in his arm all the way to his wrist. It had apparently been wrapped around his arm bone down to his wrist where it was inserted into a vein and the other end stuck out of the top of his shoulder, and because of how tight it was wrapped it didn't heal out like it should have.

Logan growled in pain as he slowly pulled the plastic tube out. Emily's thin hand flew to her mouth her eyes widening. The Admiral looked away in disgust, Ongola twitch hissing in pain for him. As Logan went to toss it in the trash can Hank stopped him.

"Medical waste Logan…red trash can on the medical deck…" he chided him.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah…" he replied rubbing the wound that had already healed up.

Bright blue eyes focused on the planet that was now on every screen on the ship, everyone was being awakened now. The Admiral insisted that everyone be awake by the time they were in the planets orbit. Bridget Connell hadn't been thrilled about accompanying her Uncle Porrig but he'd insisted that she go partly due to her affinity for horses that their people relied on so heavily.

Bridget shifted unsteadily, her eyes going out of focus again. She had just recently been awakened but she couldn't stand spending even a moment with her uncle. They hadn't ever gotten along but he'd felt it a necessity to take care of her after her father was shot by a farmer for being in his field. Her mother had died in child birth, so Uncle Porrig's family was all she had. She didn't mind her uncle's son Sean so much but he was much younger than she was. At sixteen the concept of hanging around her younger cousin, bored her to tears. So instead of heading to her families room she stumbled unstably down the hallway. She had one hand on the wall in hopes to balance herself but with the more agile walkers rushing about her she stumbled until one woman walked right into her.

"Watch it Gypsy…" Sneered a strikingly beautiful brunette woman, her beauty marred by the smug mask she wore. She walked with a certain arrogance about her that if Bridget had been fully awake she would have knocked right out of her.

"Avril…" Chided the man next to her as they moved away, "How do you no she was even a gypsy?"

"They smell funny…" she laughed haughtily, "And I felt the distinct urge to check my wallet…"

"Did you bring that with you?" he asked incredulously.

"Well no but the instinct is still there…" she replied shrugging.

It was true , her people did things that were considered unsavory to the great majority of the population in Ireland, but they did what they had to, to survive. She knew that woman couldn't survive a moment in her traveling lifestyle.

Her reaction time was severely impeded, she tried in vain to catch herself but nonetheless the floor rushed at her. She felt a strong arm wrap around her slender waist stopping her just short of the floor.

"Fucking city bred cow…" she grumbled and glared in the direction Avril switched off in, as she was being pulled back to her unsteady feet. "Much appreciated…" she muttered trying to turn to see who kept her from the floor but she wobbled forward and once again a strong hand steadied her.

"You alright darlin'?" came a gruff masculine voice.

"Can't tell up from down, left from right and my ass from my bosom, but I think I'll live, it'll just be rather uncomfortable for a bit…" she smiled trying to make her eyes focus on the man in front of her.

"I wonder which medic allowed this obviously off keeled young woman out on her own…" came a rather articulately civil sounding voice.

"Allowed?" she raised a single eyebrow, trying to focus on the new voice but her eyes insisted on crossing so all saw was a blur of blue, "I go where I want…"

Both men unsuccessfully tried to bite back laughter at what Bridget was sure had to be a comical expression. But she lacked the full concentration to be too angry. She shook her head back and forth, long dark curly tendrils bouncing violently. It helped her focus a bit, but what she saw behind the man that held her up couldn't be right…this beast had to be a side effect of deep sleep and in a moment would clear and he'd be normal. After a short moment of shock logic took over her mind and she thought he must be a mutant.

"Either you a mutant or I…" her voice trailed off lacking the faculties to completely finish the witty line she had intended to use to cover her surprise…." Or I need to go back to sleep…"

"Dr. Hank McCoy," he said grasping her hand and shaking knowing she lacked the depth perception grab his hand herself.

"Bridget Connell," she replied attempting to pull back but she soon remember she wasn't holding herself up, and she looked questioningly at the man who was merely and inch taller than herself.

"Logan…" he said answering her unspoken question, "Don't let Hank scare ya darlin' he's the nice one…"

"Just glad to see I'm not the only one…" she smiled attempting to shake off Logan's grip. But he knew she wasn't steady enough to move about on her own.

"You're a mutant?" Logan raised a mildly shocked eyebrow being that as far as he knew he and Hank were the only ones.

"Much to M'Uncle's displeasure Aye," she smiled.

"Is there somewhere we can take you Ms. Connell?" The Blue Doctor asked.

"My Quarters…C-2343.…" she stated like a question, "As far away from them as I can get…"

Logan had to laugh at that.

"Ms. Connell…" Hank started.

"Bridget…just Bridget…" she told him firmly.

"Bridget…you really shouldn't be alone at the moment, you really should be in your quarters, doing your exercises."

"There's definitely not enough space for me to be in there alone much less with M'Family, a fifteen year sleep definitely did nothing to make m'heart grow any fonder of them," she replied stubbornly.

"Tell ya what Darlin', How about I steer toward something to eat?" Logan suggested, slightly worried about just how much her Uncle disliked her being a mutant.

Hank shifted uncomfortably, "She should really…"

"Relax fur ball…go rip one of your boys a new asshole, I got her…" Logan told him smirking at the indignant look the good doctor was giving him, "Besides aren't they wakin' Betsy in a bit…you might want to be there to make sure she ain't wandering off like this one…"

Hank nodded resigned and took off down the hallway gracefully sidestepping the other passengers rushing about many surprised to see him but he didn't feel the need to stop and offer an explanation.

Bridget shifted uncomfortably, she was always leery about strangers being that her past encounters with them had been less than pleasant. But she'd rather go with the stranger than be in that tiny room, that easily provoked her claustrophobia, with her Uncle Porrig.

"Here you try and walk on your own…I'll keep ya upright 'kay?" he told her.

She nodded slightly reluctant to walk ahead of him but that seemed to be what he was waiting for. She unsteadily put one foot forward and then another, when she pitched to one side his hands flew to her waist holding her up, and that was how they made their way to the Lounge Area.

Logan glanced easily around noticing the lack of chairs. He quickly set Bridget down in one of the few seats left, there was one beside her but he would stand if it wasn't there when he got back. Logan made his way through the food line only grabbing the basics nothing fancy since he didn't no what the girl ate. He figured as a gypsy she wouldn't be too picky. With a tray in each hand he was surprise to find the only person in the chair was Drake Bonneau, Hank's friend Sallah had introduced him, he'd mainly found the man to be annoying. He leaned casually back in his chair his arm draped around the back of the girl's chair. He was chatting idly to the girl but he didn't seem to notice the blank stare she gave him. Logan wasn't sure if that was disinterest or if she still hadn't quite joined him in the conversation on account of her just recently waking up. It didn't matter to Logan, he clearly had no idea that the girl he chatted up was only sixteen.

Logan reminded himself to keep his cool being that it may be a genuine mistake on the part of Drake being that he had seemed to be harmless.

"Bonneau Why don't you go and join the rest of the pilots?" Logan asked calmly.

Sallah's eyes darted from the screen where Pern floated gracefully to the empty chair that Drake had left. Her eyes slowly trailed over to where Drake had gone. She laughed softly seeing that he'd gone after a woman, her eyes narrowed slightly seeing that woman was in the company of Dr. McCoy's friend Logan. Logan, she'd noticed didn't seem particularly enamored with Drake. At the time though Logan looked even more perturbed than before. Sallah rose slowly, glancing at her friend and Co-pilot Barr, "Save my seat I'll be back."

"Oookaayy…" Barr wrinkled her face in confusion, "Is everything ok?"

"Not sure…" Sallah replied moving away.

As Sallah approached she could hear the smaller man gritting his teeth, telling Drake he really needed to leave. Drake misconstrued his warning as jealously. A smug smiled was firmly planted on his face. Sallah looked idly at the woman who seemed to be lost, she was attempting to respond to the situation at hand but was having trouble. She'd recently woke up, Sallah recognized, but something else caught her eye. Sallah suddenly realized why Logan was so upset.

Sallah lightly placed a hand on Logan's arm. She expected him to jump but he didn't even flinch, "I'll get him…" she told him quietly. He stepped back slightly letting her take over.

"Kenjo told Barr something important and she'd really like you to be over there when she tells me so she doesn't have to repeat herself Drake…" Sallah said carefully and pointedly.

"Can it wait Sallah?" Drake sighed still smirking casting a side long glance at Logan.

"No," she snapped firmly, "It can't…"

Drake allowed Sallah to pull him up, as she did Drake waved to the woman, "See you around?"

She nodded ever so slowly, her face still full of confusion. Sallah pulled Drake away. She wasn't sure, but Sallah was almost positive she'd heard a low growl coming from Logan.

Sallah leaned over and whispered to Drake, "You do realize that she was just a girl don't you?"

"huh?" Drake stopped abruptly looking at Sallah in surprise.

"She was a teenager…probably not over eighteen yet…" Sallah told him lowering herself back into her seat.

"No…" Drake looked back and squinted his eyes, "Sallah she's got to at least be twenty-two…"

Sallah could see why he'd say that, her womanly figure aside her eyes seemed to suggest knowledge, or maybe she'd seen too much at her age, she couldn't tell which on at the moment. But her face was round and childish…

"Drake I'm telling you she's probably only about fifteen or sixteen…why do you thick he was so upset?" Sallah asked him.

"Jealously?" Drake shrugged.

"I really don't think so…" Sallah shook her smiling halfway.

"Sallah I'm telling you …" Drake started squinting at the girl.

He watched her carefully as her posture seemed to relax around the small man. She slouched casually in the chair while slowly eating with one hand. Her other hand was under her head, her elbow propping it up on the table. He recognized the posture immediately, that of an indifferent teenager.

"Shit…you're right…" Drake scrubbed his face with his hands, and stood up again heading back in the direction of the odd duo.

Sallah drew in a breath, but Barr put a hand on her arm to stop her from going after him.

Drake cautiously approached the small man. Well, he actually wasn't small at all, short yes, but he was much wider than most normal guys of a taller height, and he wasn't fat by any means. Suddenly he felt like he was being watched hair prickled on the back of his neck, he realized the man was watching his reflection in the glass that covered the screens that showed Pern. Despite that Drake put a hand lightly and cautiously on his shoulder. He suddenly got the feeling that this man could be very dangerous., maybe it was the savage almost animalistic glare he wore when he stood and faced him. It was just for a second he saw it, then his face was rearranged into to something a little more human but still decidedly angry. Drake nonetheless kept a neutral look about his face, while gesturing with his head for the man to follow him. Logan grudgingly did just that, but not without looking back to make sure the girl was okay and eating.

Logan looked up at the man crossing his arms waiting for a smart ass comment, surprisingly none came.

"I'm sorry…" he sighed, "I didn't realize how young she was…if I did I wouldn't have even tried…"

When Logan only nodded, Drake held out his hand, earning him a half smile from the other man. He took his hand shaking it firmly. He had a hell of a grip that was for sure, but Drake made sure to wait until the man returned to his seat before rubbing his hand.

Logan joined the girl back at the table, she'd finished her food while he'd been gone. She looked at him oddly, he could tell some of the coherency was returning.

"Ya think we could find a pint around here?" she asked she sounded very much like a stereotypical Irish person asking for a beer so much so that Logan had to chuckle.

"What's so funny?' she demanded crossing her arms.

"Nothing Darlin'," he insisted, "I was just thinkin' the same damned thing…"


	2. Chapter 2

Bridget Connell was up long before the klaxon sounded, granted only because she wanted to avoid her family. Sean had already disappeared, god knows where. She guessed on the ship there was no reason to be alarmed. She quietly snuck out without waking the other members of her family, There was her Uncle Porrig, his younger sister Aislinn, and his younger brother Van. She despised Van more than Porrig. Van wasn't Porrig's real brother he'd taken him in one day from outside a bar no one really knew why being that he wasn't fond of outsiders. She'd remembered her father hadn't been too happy about that. Bridget was less happy about him, and refused to be alone with him, he was a very grabby sort of person, especially after a few drinks. Though he never seemed to be too drunk, she just thought he used the alcohol as an excuse.

As she eased the door shut she slipped down the hallway catching a glimpse of Pern on one of the screens. She was actually excited, her family was to be dropped today, though she wasn't at all excited, that her family was going to be with her. Her only two friends, were two out of only four mutants (including herself) on the ship, were also joining her. Drake Bonneau was to be their pilot. Though there was one other thing that concerned her, she was terrified of flying. Something the size of the Yokohama, wasn't too bad, it was almost like land except she weighted less, but landing would be harsh. Her people weren't used to it.

As she suspected she found Logan with his feet propped up sitting idly in the garden, which to her was just a giant green house. He'd found a bottle of liquor somewhere and was drinking it out of the bottle.

"Your awake early…" he noted without turning to face her.

"How do you do that?" Bridget demanded, "I can sneak up on anyone else…"

"Its just part of the mutation darlin" he shrugged, "Which brings me to the question I been meaning to ask you…What exactly is yours?"

She smiled evenly, she figured in the garden would be as good of a place as any…better even. She moved in front of him, where several philodendrons grew up the side of a small tree. She turned her back to him, smiling back at him over her shoulder. Logan noticed her eyes took on an interesting sparkle, it was like metallic paint in a car, but it sparkled a blue-green color. She turned back toward the plants and Logan heard the dirt shifting when he stood up to see what it was he found a violet colored rose grew happily along side an orchid, and a Lily. The rose actually was wrapping itself around the Orchid, as was the Lily.

"I can grow anything…from flower sized Redwoods to Red wood sized Flowers…at least that's the theory I worked out, but I've only been able to grow smaller planets the size of a large Orange Tree…after that they die…I think I just need practice, or they just weren't meant to be that big… but I have made plenty of tiny trees…my only concern is I hear the soil saturated with Boron, I hope I'll be able to adapt them…" she muttered the last part mostly to herself.

Logan nodded a bit impressed at the thought of a giant rose, "You'll probably have some new plants to grow too…"

She shrugged almost wilting, "I just hope I can still grow the old ones, I'm kind of fond of orchids…"

"I'm sure you'll be fine Darlin" he told her putting a hand on her shoulder.

She smiled lightly, "So where's Blue?" A nickname she'd taken to calling Hank, she hadn't liked Beast, being that the man was nothing of the sort.

"Probably taking one last romp in the sheets with Betsy before we drop…" Logan chuckled.

She hadn't really known how to take Betsy she wasn't at all used to being around women. The one woman she had been around, wasn't too fond of her. Her and Aislinn had nearly came to blows several times and she was positive she could take out the girlie woman, despite her larger frame.

Bridget laughed at that as they walked out toward the shuttle they were taking down. Logan threw a glance behind him catching the eyes of a young boy hiding in the bushes. The boy glared and Logan just winked.

By the time the intercom sounded Logan and Bridget were already making their way to the shuttle bay. Her Uncle greeted her with a look of disproval at her current company. If Logan noticed he thankfully, didn't react. She'd noticed that he had an explosive temper that he was trying hard to control.

"Where's Sean?" Porrig demanded .

"I don't know he was awake 'fore I was, If I'd but known I was on babysitting duty, maybe I'd have kept better track of 'em…" she snapped immediately.

"I don't need any of your sass," he snapped back.

"But I've got plenty to give…" she replied sarcastically.

"If you weren't my brother's child…" Porrig growled in such a voice that made Logan tense up next to her, but it was Van who stepped between them.

"Come now…we're all family right…today should be a joyous occasion…something to drink to…new life and all that…no need to be cranky…" Van smiled with a hand on Porrig's shoulder and his other hand under Bridget's thick hair at the base of her neck, his thumb lightly caressing her.

Before she had the chance to pull away Hank and Betsy joined them. Hank put a friendly hand on Bridget's shoulder in essence forcing Van to drop his hand, all of them backing away from Hank in surprise.

"How are you fairing this morning young Ms. Connell?" he smiled warmly, but he'd immediately sensed the girl's discomfort.

"Just peachy…" muttered Bridget in response.

Betsy offered the girl a polite smile, which she returned . Sean ran into the shuttle bay as the four mutants went in and sat down. Porrig offered some terse words before they joined them in the back row. Bridget had ended up between Logan and Betsy which was much preferable to sitting anywhere near her family.

Logan noticed all of the gypsies were terrified, it made sense; they weren't used to flying. He glanced over with the intent on offering the girl some words of comfort; but when the shuttle began to move she let out a slew of curse words spoken in an unfamiliar language. But curse words were still easily identified.

"Gaelic…I'm impressed…" Hank commented.

Logan didn't bother saying much. If he had known what to tell her, it would still have done little good. Bridget's heart was racing and her breaths were quick and shallow. Logan simply offered her his hand which she quickly grabbed and squeezed.

"Hell of a grip," he commented.

"Comes from holding horses," she said breathily.

"Breathe slower or you'll pass out," he told her squeezing her hand in reassurance.

She didn't respond but she seemed to be making an effort to do just that. He heard her breath slow a bit, not much but it was better than nothing. He stroked her hand for comfort as one would a terrified cat. Her eyes were still clamped shut by the time they were actually on the ground, and she still hadn't moved. Luckily, being up front made them last to exit. By the time it was their turn Betsy tried to talk the girl from her seat.

"Sweet heart its okay…we've landed…" Betsy knelt down in front of her and unstrapped her from her seat then gently stroked her hair. Logan stood up and gently tugged her to her feet, which seemed to snap her out of it, but the smell of fear was still evident.

"What's wrong?" he asked her softly

"I don't like the fact that what I'm going to be stepping on isn't going to be earth…with my mutation you develop a special bond with your planet…" she muttered taking shaky steps down the exit ramp, "And I feel fat now…"

Logan flicked her playfully in the back of the head, though he knew she was making a reference to the fact that they were back at full gravity, as compared to the half gravity of the Yokohama. Logan took a deep breath of the fresh air, he'd never smelled anything so pure and clean. The bushes had an odd bluish tinge to them and the leaves were strangely shaped, like something out of Scott's Geometry class drawn by a three year old. The grass was close to that of earth's but he could tell the difference.

"Come on…" Porrig's voice snapped Logan out of examining his new surroundings.

Logan suppressed a snarl as Bridget's Uncle pulled her off the ramp.

"Dontcha think we've waited long enough," Her Aunt Aislinn said in a calmly patronizing tone.

"No one said you had to wait for me, If I want to find you I'll just follow the smell of fish…" she replied in sickeningly sweet tone that boldly screamed 'Fuck You' as she pulled her arm away from her Uncle.

Betsy suppressed laughter at that, she was about to offer some words to try to diffuse the situation. When Porrig reacted. He roughly grabbed Bridget's arm again and pulled her back to him. Her Aunt Aislinn stood staring with a rather shocked looking face; appalled that the girl would make such a comment.

"You won't talk to M'sister that way, or I swear to god child I'll put you in your place and keep ya in it," He hissed in a low voice that was only meant for her to hear.

Betsy being a telepath knew exactly what was said and both Hank and Logan , had hearing that was superior to a normal person's. Betsy saw Hank move first but she realized that was to grab Logan whose hands had balled up into fists automatically. Logan pulled roughly from Hank's grip relaxing his hand, but nonetheless he approached Porrig calmly.

Logan lowered his voice so low that Porrig could barely hear him, that was partly due to the fact that his words came out almost like a growl, "Keep your hands off the girl, or I'm gonna put you in yours."

"You should really stay out of family affairs…" came Van's voice,

"Then maybe you should take your own advice, because you're not part of it," Bridget narrowed her eyes at Van and once again pulled away this time taking off in a random direction.

"I swear that girl is the limit…" Porrig growled unwilling to acknowledge the threat that the smaller man had made. Porrig made a random gesture one would assume he meant to tell Van to go after her because shortly after that the man left in the direction she went off in.

Hank clamped a hand on Logan's shoulder holding the smaller man in place and the rest of them went off in another direction, presumably to their new living quarters. Hank waited until Porrig, Sean, and Aislin were out of sight before he removed his hand from Logan's shoulder.

"Let it go, my friend, don't involve yourself unless necessary," Hank said gently.

Logan grunted an in audible response. Hank sighed he knew how protective Logan became over his friends normally not so quickly, but he missed the ones he had on earth. There was a bit of transference going on, the child probably reminded him of some of the children at Xavier's institute.

There was a woman with a recorder in her hand that had sat patiently while the family was arguing , she finally looked up at Hank.

"They were the Connell's right?" she asked wincing a little in response the previous situation.

Hank nodded, as the woman ticked off names, "Henry, Betsy, Logan…" Hank recited off into the recorder that the woman held.

"Welcome to Pern," the woman smiled warmly, " Dr. McCoy you and your fiancé are at House 10 Asian Square, and Logan your house 9 Asian square, Here's your map guys all the important facilities are marked, now if you guys could lend a hand to help clear and unload the shuttle…"

Between just the two men, they made up for the time the gypsy family spent arguing. They easily loaded themselves with several large boxes everyone else grabbing the smaller things and they put them on the float that had apparently been waiting at the Cargo hatch for some time.

Bridget waded deep into the forest finally stopping when she was sure she'd gotten herself lost. She sat down at the base of an odd looking tree. The bark was completely smooth almost like it had been sanded and polished. The trunk was white but was lightly streaked with thin lines of a mahogany color. The leaves like the bushes took on a bluish-green hue, but were oval shaped. Beautiful purple flowers were splattered through out the leaves, that resembled tiny tulips. The tree was actually quite breathtaking, and several of them surrounded her.

She was thinking about trying to grow one of them herself when she felt a rough hand fall gently on the back of her neck. She cringed knowing full and well who it was. She stood up and stepped back from him.

"What Van?" she demanded.

"Porrig wanted me to come get you…" he told her smiling wanly, "Come on…"

He held out his hand and Bridget just stared at him blankly. So he moved closer to her placing a hand on her hip.

"Don't be like that love…you know your Uncle's trying his best to take care of you…" he told pulling her towards him. She flinched then planted her feet firmly in the ground so he couldn't pull her any closer. Unfortunately, he was still close enough for him to whisper in her ear. "You know we could get along real well, lass…"

"How 'bout ya just not touch me?" Bridget snapped in disgust. She attempted to pull away from him but his free hand clamped down on the back of her neck firmly.

"If ya stop fighting with me, I promise you'll want me touching ya…" he smiled coyly allowing his warm breath to float over her ear, "Give me a chance…" The hand on her hip slowly began to slide to the small of her back.

Bridget's stomach wrenched in disgust, she roughly jerked backward and threw a closed fist right at his jaw, connecting solidly.

"Fuckin' hell ya little bitch…" he snarled. Stumbling backward rubbing his jaw.

Van grabbed her by the arm and dragged out of the woods back toward their camp.

Logan and Hank stood there a moment watching the shuttle disappear back through the puffy clouds. As Logan turned to scan the new planet once more, he saw Van pulling the girl rather roughly out of the woods. A snarl rippled through Logan's vocal cords, claws inadvertently sliding out.

:"Logan…" Hank snapped.

But he was intently listening to what the man was saying to Bridget.

"Here I was being all nice to ya, and go off and clock me one…I'll remember that…" Van fumed.

Logan could indeed see the red swelling lump on his jaw that was slowing turning purplish. He couldn't suppress a chuckle, as he carefully watched him drag her off. But before they faded away into trees and bushes he heard the girl remark sarcastically, "Maybe you shouldn't be so nice then…"

"Maybe next time I won't," the man replied.

Logan was able to re-sheathe his claws, but he couldn't suppress another growl, "Think I should still stay out of it McCoy?"

To his surprise Hank nodded, "Yes, I think I may be able to handle the situation with considerably more tact."

Logan grunted in contempt but nonetheless left the doctor to it…maybe it'd be safer that way. He couldn't help but wonder just **how **nice he was being.

He'd watched the man on several occasions and while he normally seemed pleasant enough he could tell it was fake. But he was never around him long enough to tell just what it was…there was something. He knew Bridget detested the man even more so than her Uncle Porrig. First off her lack of referring to Van as her uncle, and second usually if Logan was around him for more than thirty seconds she always seemed to position herself with Logan in between the two of them. It was subtle, at first he'd wondered if it was unconscious not something she thought about, so he'd test it one day, at one of the bond fires they started holding nightly, every night someone different got to light it. Tonight Logan thought the girl who lit was named Catherine…she'd inadvertently discovered a series of caves that they named after her.

The people here were so very enthusiast about there new planet Logan actually found it a bit refreshing. Most of the children were eager to be at school, They had given Logan a class to teach on recommendation by Hank. Hank informed them about the classes he taught at the institute, Though the Admiral was skeptical about leaving him in charge of a group of children, Hank assured him he actually worked quite well with them, but told him an older group from about 12 and up would better suit him. McCoy discussed with them about Logan's superior knowledge of living off the land. It was then that they realized how old Logan actually was. When Hank explained he'd lived along side the Native Americans from old earth, back before Americans had officially colonized it. A Pang of sadness went through him, thinking about those days, then anger as his thoughts came to Silver Fox and what happened to her…or Who happened to her…Sabertooth. It made him angry that he wouldn't get the chance to kill him, that Sabertooth would continue to slaughter people on earth but he wouldn't be there to stop him. But at the same time, relief went through him, he wouldn't have to deal with Creed anymore. They sat there discussing Logan's usefulness as a teacher without Logan saying a word and before he knew it he had a class of teens and pre-teens.

As Logan sat near the outer edge of the fire he noticed one of his students, standing with her family waving at him vigorously.

"Hi Mr. Logan…" the Red Headed girl smiled wide.

"Hey Sorka…That your dad?" he asked knowing full and well the answer.

The Man held out his hand, "Red Hanranhan…this is My wife Mairi and my Son Brian…Don't think I had the pleasure of meeting ya."

"Logan…just Logan…" he said taking the man's hand., then repeating the gesture with the other family members, "You have quite the daughter, real smart…" Sorka beamed.

"Don't take offense, but you don't seem like the teaching type…" Red told him.

Logan shrugged and waved it off, "I'm not, but I can do it, and I can do it well, my other specialties aren't really needed here yet…"

"Yet?" Red asked wrinkling up his forehead.

Logan cleared his throat to avoid being too honest, "Ex-Military…" Which wasn't a lie, he was, but he'd also been a mercenary for hire, not something he thought should be public knowledge.

"Oh I don't think well ever need any of THOSE particular skills…" Red replied. He could guess just by the man's demeanor that he could be dangerous, but in turn he could also tell that he was a good man.

Logan laughed, "Maybe it's just me…but I never trust peace for too long…always expectin' shit to hit the fan."

Mairi covered Brain's ears assuming Sorka was old enough to know not to repeat what he'd said. Mairi wasn't particularly fond of the man, he seemed a bit rough around the edges to be teaching children.

"Oh don't be so paranoid, Pern's not going to be like that," Red smiled almost sympathetically, he half way understood the man's assumptions, being Ex military he knew why he'd always be on edge but he was glad that Pern was going to be different and let a man like him have some peace.

"I hope you're right…" Logan replied quietly.

Sorka hadn't been interested in the adult's conversation and had wondered toward a familiar face entering the square.

"Hey Bridget…" Sorka smiled warmly, Bridget was in her class and one of the only older girls that talked to her, at least when she actually showed up. She was also one of the only teenage girl who didn't mind the physical labor sometimes required of them, again when she showed up. She had soon discovered through casual conversation with her that Sean was her cousin. When he'd asked Sean about her he'd simply replied, 'She's all right as far a I'm concerned but she always has my dad in fits, but I'm not sure why sometimes…"

"Hey Little Red…" Bridget replied.

At first Sorka had though that it was a nick name referring to her dad but she realized it was her bright red hair she'd been referring to.

"Where's Sean?" Sorka asked.

"Hell if I know that boy's about as flighty as I am…little staying power that one…though I'd check out by the water, "

Sorka nodded but returned to her family who took a seat not far from Mr. Logan but not close enough to continue whatever conversation they were having.

Bridget plopped down on the ground next to Logan's chair with her head leaning on his arm rest.

"You all right?" he asked automatically.

"Yeah…just Aunt Aislinn and Van are to be along shortly…I'm just so excited…" she told him flatly.

Logan nodded but lacked an expression, "Why don't you get a chair?"

"No need…" She looked up at the tree above them, and Logan noticed her eyes sparkling in the campfire light. Then he saw the small vines reaching down for her from the tall tree. As they came toward the ground the vines began to weave themselves together like a hammock, Logan realized that was just what she was making with them. He saw small white flowers bloom all the way up to the top.

When she saw his questioning glance she responded, "Night blooming Jasmine…smells sweet…"

"An earth plant…" Logan noted.

"Y'up, I can make them grow here…" she smiled.

"Careful or the Botanists will have a field day with you…" Logan warned, as she plopped in her Jasmine hammock.

"Quite frankly…they can suck my dick…if they have trouble growin' stuff I'll help but I'm not doin' their job for 'em," she snapped narrowing her eyes at the thought.

Logan laughed, "Good.," then Logan sighed, "You weren't in class…"

She froze and gave him a sheepish look, "How'd you know that?"

"Because I teach now…Split up the older kids from the younger ones…" Logan told her patiently.

"How long's that been goin' on…" she asked biting her lip.

"'bout three days…" Logan replied tersely.

"Oh…huh…I'll be damned…" Bridget muttered looking away.

Logan stood up and twisted the entire Hammock toward him to make sure she heard him, "I don't like people skipping my class…you might want to inform your cousin I'd really hate to have to come get you, if I don't your getting detention…you won't like my detention…"

"Don't worry I'll make sure she's up bright an' early,"

Logan whirled around to see where the voice came form, and he found Van standing behind him.

"She's old enough to make sure she's up on her own…" Logan told him regarding him carefully.

"Yeah but you know teenagers…" Van smiled wide, moving past him, he leaned forward and kissed Bridget on the cheek.

"Van…stay outta my face…" she narrowed her eyes.

"Careful…" Logan said smoothly, "Might end up with another bruise…"

Van laughed, but Logan could hear the bitterness in his voice, " T'was a lucky shot…not one she'll likely make again…just caught me by surprise."

Logan chuckled a bit then narrowed his eyes, "Why don't you join us?" The question came out a little more forceful than he intended, causing the man to look startled.

Logan pulled up two chairs, "You got one more coming I hear right?"

He strategically arranged them so Bridget's hammock and the three chairs were in a semi-circle, and gestured politely to the nearest seat that would have put him two chairs away from the girl. To Van, the man's sudden hostility seemed like a challenge so instead of backing out or sitting where he indicated, he sat right next to Bridget, as Logan figured he would. Logan offer poured some Quikal, the liquor that was made here on Pern, a harsh substitute for traditional liquors. He poured them into two cups and offered the man some. He gave an apologetic smile toward Bridget who gave him an inquisitive look. She knew he was up to something…what…she didn't know…then she slowly narrowed her eyes realizing that apologetic look was because he wasn't planning on giving her any liquor.

"It'd look bad, me giving one of my students alcohol…even IF you haven't actually showed up to my class yet…" Logan told her.

She sighed seeing his point, but Logan noticed she remained silent. Occasionally tossing a glancing toward Van, then to Logan again.

Bridget had randomly started getting up and wandering off to speak to other people, mostly Sorka and Hank. Hank and Betsy hadn't quite made it over to talk to Logan quite yet, Betsy, Sallah, Barr and Hank were chatting idly.

Logan had watched Van closely especially as he fed him more liquor. Van had watched the girl walk away each time she'd gotten up, much more intently than Logan liked. Aislinn had been pretty much quiet after Van was working on his third glass of Quikal, she still sipped on her half full glass. The heavy set woman seemed content enough to keep to herself. She seemed to be in her late twenties but her brownish red hair was already showing signs of graying, through out her matted nest of hair. She tossed a nervous glance in Logan's direction from time to time. Standing only long enough to adjust the loose flowing skirt that hung off her overly plump hips

Logan's eyes darted to Van as he saw him stand up swiftly, stumbling slightly but he was surprisingly steady. His eyes narrowed as he realized he'd gotten up to follow Bridget who'd gone to talk to Hank once more.

Bridget stood silently on the outside on the conversation, as Hank cordially explained to the human women the concept of mutations. He'd actually developed quite a crowd, and he easily kept his explanation in Laymen's terms. Hank did at times get carried away with his genius and seemed to forget that not everyone can understand some of the things he said but now he seemed to be doing rather well…rehearsed she realized.

"The mutation is different for everyone and often continues to mutate throughout your life, but usually is discovered around puberty, or through extraordinary conditions…" Hank told them.

"Like what?" came a voice from the crowd.

Hank smiled patiently, he didn't mind answering their questions, he figured knowledge would stifle prejudice, and they seemed genuinely interested in learning not ridiculing, "Well I have a friend who's mutation developed, to save his sister from being hit by a tractor, his entire body covered in a nearly unbreakable bio-metal and the tractor wrapped around him as if made from paper, he was just a child…"

"Cool…" came a child's voice, "Are there mutants who can explode things with their minds?"

Hank recognized the voice as the youngest Hanrahan. Red shushed the child but Hank smiled, "It's all right…actually there are some documented with that ability and a number of others…some helpful…some extremely powerful…some barely noticeable, others still are harmful to other people, some are even harmful to themselves, that is why I stress the importance of coming to me if a mutant child is discovered here on Pern…Their abilities need to be controlled immediately for their safety and everyone else's, but once they are controlled they ability maybe of great value to our community…"

"How can I become a mutant?" Brian Hanrahan asked once more.

"It is genetic, not something you can do on your own…" Hank told him suppressing laughter, as the boy gave his parents an angry glare as if they had a choice to pass that gene on or not.

Red shook his head smiling, then addressed the group that had formed, "Maybe you all should give him time to relax, he's been very helpful…and I'm sure he'd be glad to discuss it with you all some other time…"

The crowed broke away resigned, some of them thanking Hank as they left. Betsy let out a sigh of relief as they broke up.

"Much appreciated doctor…" Hank smiled gesturing for the family to join him.

"They'd have had ya here all night…" Red smiled admiring his patience.

"Better that they know, knowledge dispels fear, fear breeds prejudice, and prejudice brings hatred," Hank told him, "I'd rather curiosity than fear…"

"Understandable," Red nodded.

"Have you met Betsy?" Hank asked in suddenly realization he hadn't introduced her to them. When Red shook his head introduction were exchanged.

Hank noticing that Bridget had reappeared again, acknowledged her with a smile, "Your welcome to join us Ms. Connell…"

"You all right?" came the concerned voice of Sorka.

"Just peachy…" she replied flatly.

Hank had heard her use the same response many times when she was anything but. Before he could prod her about it her Uncle Van came up behind her and wrapped his muscular arms around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder. She tensed up, attempting to gently pull away from him but he held fast.

"Whatcha doin' over here Lass?" he asked her the smell of his alcoholic breath floating to her nose.

"Minding my own business…try it," she replied her eyes narrowing.

"You ever thought that maybe she doesn't want you that close?" Betsy asked, as Hank eyed him carefully.

"The day I heed the opinion of a wee English pig, is the day you can stop calling me Irish," Van snapped.

It was no secret that many Irish still weren't fond of the English, so where most were thrown off at Betsy's origins by her Asian appearance, Van immediately recognized the English accent.

"We're all Pernese now," Red told him rather firmly.

"He's a wee bit drunk you'll have to excuse him…" Bridget apologized glancing from Betsy to Red after pushing him more firmly off of her, "You need to go back to camp…" she told Van.

"Ya comin' with?" Van asked stumbling backward into Logan who'd silently joined them, but at what point no one could tell.

"Take Aislinn with you," Logan told him giving the man a look that squelched the automatic protest that rose in his throat like bile.

Bridget seemed to relax after the man was gone even engaging in light conversation with Red and Hank. Betsy lightly tapped Logan on the arm pulling him out of the light of the fire.

Before she opened her mouth Logan nodded.

"I know…" he told her, "You should talk to her…you know do that woman thing…"

Betsy shook her head, "It'd make it awkward for her…Henry says she's not used to having older women around, so she doesn't react well to them…she reacts like she reacts to her Aunt…you talk to her…she trusts you…more than she trusts Henry or I …"

"What am I supposed to say?" he demanded a bit frustrated, "Tell her it's okay?"

"No, tell her its not okay…not if she doesn't want to be touched…she clearly doesn't, I didn't read her mind but it doesn't take a mind reader to tell she detests being around him much less him touching her, I don't know how much…touching there's been…Hank says it could be all platonic, that he's just that kind of person, but regardless if that's true, he doesn't need to touch her if she doesn't want him to, I don't think anyone's ever told her that," Betsy replied.

"It's not that innocent, I can smell it…" Logan growled.

"Smell…what?" Betsy asked slightly unsure if she wanted that answered.

"Lust…fucking piece of shit…I'll kill him," Logan snarled his claws once again popping out.

"Claws Logan…sheathe them…" Betsy sighed, "That won't help…"

"Can't, too pissed off," He replied tersely.

"Then take a walk dear, in the opposite direction of her Uncle, please," Betsy told him.

Logan sighed grabbing his drink and disappearing, Betsy returned to the group to see Bridget's eyes following Logan. She was about to get up to follow him, but Betsy laid a hand on her arm.

"No dear, let him be, now is not the time," she told Bridget gently, "Talk to him tomorrow after school, he wants to talk to you later."

"Is he all right?" She asked the older woman.

"He will be," she replied.


	3. Chapter 3

Porrig sat up as soon as the morning rays shone into the cave they'd officially dubbed home, Van was already up probably off somewhere treating his hang over. Porrig gazed wistfully at their wooden wagon, with no horse to pull it. Soon, he thought, Red had told him that the horses were pregnant now ready to pop at any moment. The two brown flying lizards at least would fight the snakes, that's what Sean had told him, the two creatures were snuggled up to him one on each side of his neck.

He saw Bridget sleeping quietly at the back of the cave, she'd sneaked in late last night, probably with those mutants, as if reading his thoughts a large blue shape appeared in the mouth of the cave.

"Mr. Connell, may I have a word with you if its not to much to ask?" came the polite voice of the large beastly man.

Porrig frowned in discontent, but nonetheless followed him outside of their home.

"Mr. Connell, I've noticed something about Van that causes me a considerable amount of concern and I thought I should speak with you first and foremost…" Hank said quietly paying close attention to his surroundings.

"Yeah?" Porrig raised an uninterested eyebrow.

"He seems…very…hands on? I guess one could say, with your teenage niece and while it could be just that he is overly affectionate…she doesn't want him to be, and that is a problem that you should address," Hank told him.

Porrig's eyes narrowed, "She tell ya that? He's family he loves her despite how much of a daft cow she acts like. If that's all ya came for get out."

"Mr. Connell?!" Hank was both surprised and angry at his response, "Has she came to you at all about this issue?"

"Once, I told her just that…he's being friendly that's how he is…she needs to get over it…now get out mutant…" Porrig snapped.

Hank growled involuntarily before jumping straight up into the trees and swinging through the trees lightly back to landing. Ice blue eyes watched him go narrowing ever so slightly. Sean Connell slipped out of the cave with his two dragonets firmly tucked into his shirt. He had some business to discuss, but he didn't think Hank was the one to talk to, he seemed way too polite, though the last growl he'd given his dad seemed savage enough, he wanted to talk to Logan.

Hunting Logan down proved to be challenging enough, because he'd quickly emptied his place at Landing. According to Dr. McCoy's Fiancé, the man had little staying power and probably decided he'd rather live in the woods. Sean had learned to track people well enough but tracking this man was like trying to find the proverbial needle in a hay stack…if the needle had stealth mode. It turned out to be his Dragonet's that found him, chirping encouragement when Sean was going the right why until finally they flew ahead of him.

To Sean's surprise he found him deep in the woods, but not with a camp as he'd expected. He'd found a clearing, and had several multi-colored bricks laid out in a huge rectangle. At the outer edges the bricks were stacked on top of one and other. Sean suddenly realized what he was doing. He was building a house out of those strange bricks. Logan was carrying a new large stack of them easily to the center of what would later be his floor.

"Never seen bricks like that…" Sean commented as his Dragonets announced his presence.

"Cut 'em out of some stones from here," Logan answered., "Almost as hard as granite, luckily not nearly as shiny…"

"What on earth did ya cut 'em with?" Sean asked in surprise.

Logan only smiled, right before three claws sprang from the back of his hand. Sean's eyes widened in surprise and awe.

"Whoa…I heard you were a bit different…like my cousin but…wow…must be useful if they can cut through hard rock like that…" Sean exclaimed as he sheathed his claws.

"Whose Kodo and Podo here?" Logan asked making a reference he knew the boy wouldn't get.

"Oh them Sorka and I found them, we fed the babes and they just kinda stuck…You haven't heard? She calls them Dragonets…" Sean told him.

"Been here…aptly namely…" Logan nodded, "You're coming to school tomorrow…right?"

"Maybe…" Sean replied defensively.

"Maybe?" Logan raised a single eyebrow.

"If you do something for me…it's kind of important…" Sean responded.

Logan sighed heavily, "Okay I'll bite…What ya need kid?"

"Dr. McCoy came by this morning to talk to my dad about Bridget and Van…" Sean told him carefully eye him.

"Go on…" Logan prodded him.

"My dad's not really concerned, thinks he's just being affectionate, he actually kicked the Doctor out…" Sean continued.

"And what do you think?" Logan asked crossing his arms.

"I didn't really over think it, until I heard McCoy talking to my da," Sean said, "That's how they've been for a while, I thought they were just real close when I was younger, and then I started to notice she didn't seem to be all that fond of him…My Da said she was just being a bitch, but I noticed Van was always touching her, hands on her waist, her shoulders, her legs, kissing her on the cheek, the neck, if they were ever alone together she'd come back more pissed off then when she left…and the other day wasn't the first time he'd come in with a bruised face from her punching him…but my Da won't hear it…at all…"

Every muscle in Logan's body was taut, his teeth clamped shut. His eyes were focused intently on the boy in a way that made most kids uncomfortable but Sean stared him dead in the eye.

"Anything else?" Logan forced out swallowing a snarl.

"I don't like him touching my cousin, and neither does she…and I think McCoy's to polite to deal with it…" Sean told him.

"That fur ball would surprise you, but he'll probably try to handle it diplomatically first…go to the Admiral…" Logan told him.

"And you?' Sean asked,.

"I won't bother…tell her I want to talk to her…now…" Logan snapped inadvertently, "Please…" he added in a softer tone.

"yeah sure…I think she was sleeping…" Sean started not at all surprised by the man's anger, he actually welcomed it, that kind of anger got things done.

"I don't care, wake her up,"

"Aye, Whatever ya say," Sean shrugged.

Waking Bridget didn't prove to be an issue like he'd expected it to be. Van had already awakened her. He sat casually with his hand laying on her thigh talking low. She seemed to pay him no attention, but didn't move away from him. Sean wondered if his dad had ripped her a new one because of Hank. Probably he decided, as he walked up and abruptly interrupted Van by kicking his hand off of her. His Browns multi-faceted eyes taking on angry red and orange colors as the chirped a lecture that the man.

"Mr. Logan wants to talk to ya," he told Bridget.

"Can't ya see grown folks are talkin' here lad?" Van demanded.

"No you were talking, she was pretending you don't exist…" Sean shrugged, then continued to talk to Bridget, "He said it was real important…but he moved…he's in the woods about 30 kilometer's northwest near the River, these little guys'll show ya exactly where."

Bridget jumped up quickly, "Ya know what he wants?"

"Nope…I found him on accident while I was exploring, I guess the little guys must've known he was there the whole time…" Sean told her.

"He probably just wants a roll around in the dirt…" Van grumbled angrily.

Sean gave him a dirty look and bit his tongue. The Dragonet's chirped at Van disapprovingly.

"Ya need help finding him…?"Sean asked.

"No…I can manage…" she replied completely ignoring Van.

Bridget found herself at the edge of the woods that Sean had told her Logan was in. She adjusted the heavy boots she had requisitioned, along with the leather fingerless gloves she wore. She had a tendency of climbing trees if she didn't just grow them herself, and she preferred to wear gloves with some of the trees she was unfamiliar with. She stood just at the edge of the wooded area, and listened to the wind flowing through the trees. Little did most people know, the trees spoke constantly, they whispered things. It wasn't as if she could speak to them, like you could carry on an intelligent conversation with a tree, they were still only plants but they did carry information. Like a book you can 'read' their information but not really ask them questions. She listened carefully before continuing, Logan was here…now she knew exactly where.

Bridget nimbly moved through the forest not making a sound as far as she could tell. Coming up on the house Logan was building she slowed down, hoping to catch him off guard…no such luck.

"Darlin' I knew you were there before you actually started through the trees," Logan said simply using his metal claws to shellac and some odd foreign looking paste on top of some crude looking bricks. He wiped off his claws and gestured to an intricately carved chair, sitting in the middle of the floor in the partially built house, "Sit down…"

She shifted nervously, normally she was completely comfortable with the man, but two people had told her that he wanted to talk to her, and he seemed abnormally tense.

"I ain't gonna bite ya, sit…" he told her sharply.

"Woof…" she replied flatly.

"Please…" he forced out but it was just as sharp if not more so.

She complied cautiously, he leg shaking nervously. He tossed her a bottle from the corner and grabbed another matching chair from outside and set it down in front of her lowering himself into it. She took a swig from the bottle like it was water, though she knew full and well the only liquids this man would keep around were alcoholic. She handed it back to Logan who did the same then set it between his feet, he laced his fingers together and proceeded to lean forward resting his forearms on his knees.

"So how long's it been goin' on?" Logan asked her after looking her in the eye for a good minute.

"What?" she asked wrinkling her head.

Logan made a noise that was somewhere between a quiet growl and a sigh of discontent, "The bullshit between you and Van?"

Logan watched her visibly pale, then look down at her lap, "I don't know what yer talking about…" she mumbled.

Logan reached over and tilted her head back up forcing her to look at him, her eyes darted away from him, "Look at me…" he snapped a little harsher than he'd intended to, his voice softened as her eyes darted back to him, "I don't care who else you lie to…but don't lie to me…I hate being lied to…especially when I can hear your heart beat change…"

She defensively crossed her arms and looked away again muttering an apology.

"How long?" he repeated.

"Since I was thirteen…" she admitted reluctantly.

Logan flexed his jaw, "He ain't just bein' friendly…is he?"

She shook her head avoiding eye contact.

"I'll take care of it…" Logan replied shortly.

"Logan I have enough family issues, if ya hadn't noticed, please leave it alone…" she told him quietly.

"Darlin' if you don't want him touchin' you…or anyone else for that matter…then they don't touch you…period…there's no discussion about that…" Logan all but growled causing her to recoil farther, he sighed reaching out to stroke her hair, "Look if it makes ya feel better, I'll tell him nicely and privately…but if he doesn't listen the first time…I'm gonna put him down…hard."

"Logan…" she started.

"He ain't got no right to have his hands on you…I've heard you tell him not to touch you…" Logan growled again his voice raising in frustration, "I'll tell him nicely…first…if he don't get it the first time…I'm gonna pound it into his skull…"

"Logan not that I don't appreciate your concern…but it's okay…its fi…" Logan cut her off abruptly.

"The fuck it is!" the words were barely understandable through his snarl.

Bridget sunk down in the chair, with her head down. She looked up at him from under her thick eyelashes. The human version of a submissive posture, Logan recognized, he sighed heavily…that wasn't healthy, and he automatically wondered how many times she'd done that with him and was pissed off all over again. This time he squelched the reaction and stood up. He put a hand on the side of her face and tilted her head upward.

"Don't do that…" he told he gently.

"What?" she asked lowering her head again.

"That…" Logan responded tilting her head back up at him again, he gently stroked the side of her face with his thump, suddenly realizing how young she looked at the moment, "Its not okay… it never will be…it needs to be dealt with…and it will be…"

She started to protest again, and he put his thump over her lips…"No arguments."

She sighed subserviently, and leaned back in her chair her muscles still taunt with anxiety.

"And you better believe darlin' I'm gonna make sure the next time you throw a punch, he ain't getting up…." Logan smiled

Before Logan got a chance to speak to the man it was announced that they were to have a Thanksgiving dinner. Logan sighed heavily he really wanted to catch him before then but he had a slight inkling of a feeling that he wasn't going to. Maybe Porrig had told Van to avoid him and Hank after Hank's appearance at their camp.

At the Thanksgiving celebration everyone was dressed in their best, even Logan had managed to find himself a suit, though he'd gone to the local seamstress and informed her he needed an entire wardrobe. She'd given him an exasperated look that turned into one of sympathy as he explained his situation. He told her just simple jeans and shirts would do but she'd insisted on making sure he had nice clothes to wear.

Logan's eyes scanned Bonfire Square looking for a familiar face. There were fire pits dug to roast Wherries, and smaller pits with the last bits of frozen meat from earth, along with many other things. There were fruits and vegetables he knew full and well they hadn't been able to grown here on Pern yet they were fresh so he knew Bridget had a lot to do with those.

His eyes found that of Betsy's but instead of Hank on her arm it was Bridget. While Betsy wore a deep plum skirt accented with tiny beads and a white velvet A-symmetrical tank top splashed with tiny mother of pearl beads, Bridget wore a simple black satin dress that just brushed her knees, with a slit on either side that ran up her thigh stopping just before it became obnoxious.

"One foot in front of the other, and walk on you toes love," Betsy instructed her gently.

Logan suddenly realized as his eyes fell to her black strappy heels that laced up muscular calves like ballet slippers, that they weren't necessarily walking arm and arm like he'd thought. Betsy was actually holding her up since as he got closer it was very apparent the child had never worn heels before.

"You girls look good," Logan smiled evenly.

"Don't have to sound so surprised," Bridget accused playfully glaring at him.

"I'm not…" Logan replied still smiling, "Where's the fur ball?"

"We got a head start on him," Betsy told him tossing a glance at Bridget, "But we made progress faster than I thought we would…much more gracefully than I expected."

"Not surprised," Logan laughed a bit, "she seems to be a bit more agile than most…"

"I have been wondering if that if due to her being a mutant or not…" came the articulate voice of Hank McCoy.

"Why Henry you look handsome," Betsy said her sultry lips turning upward into a smile.

"You look ravishing yourself my dear," he told her slipping his arm through her free one.

"Want me to take her off your hands darlin'?" Logan asked Betsy.

"Oh gee thanks a lot making me sound like a great burden and all…" she narrowed her eyes in mock anger.

Logan rolled his eyes taking her free arm as Betsy let her go.

"Remember one foot in front of the other, dear or you'll walk like a trucker…" Betsy reminded her.

"Got it…no trucker walk…" Bridget nodded, she instinctively went to toss her hair out of her face, but Betsy had twisted her hair up off her neck, and it was held securely in place by red chop sticks trimmed with sheer red ribbon and rhinestones, so her raven hair spilled back down from the top of the twist, her curly tresses gently kissing the base of her head.

Logan set her down in a nearby chair, before anyone could make any snide comments about his relationship with his student. He saw it coming from the blonde Svenda Olubushtu, but one dirty look from him and her comment got caught in her throat. She quickly turned back to Drake sharing with him the comment she'd been about to say allowed. Drake shrugged idly…

"I doubt it…don't let word get out but somewhere under there he's actually a nice guy…" Drake laughed idly then turned and continued to talk to Sallah only offering Logan a smile of acknowledgement knowing full and well the man could hear them.

"Do I want to ask?" She looked up at Logan from under mascara covered eyelashes.

"Nope…" Logan shook his head.

"Do I need to knock the shit out of her?" she asked.

"Wouldn't be very lady like…" Logan comment dryly.

Her cherry lips pulled into a half smile, "Do I look like a fucking lady?"

"Currently," he nodded.

She slumped her shoulders as Hank and Betsy reappeared with Sallah and Barr in tow.

"This is all your fault," she narrowed her eyes at Betsy, "Made my look all female…"

"No dear you always looked female…maybe not feminine but always female," Betsy told her smiling, holding back laughter.

"You look great," Sallah told her.

Bridget recoiled slightly and muttered a thanks, "I'm gonna go find something to drink…."

"You sure you can make it alone?" Logan asked skeptically.

"I've got it…" she nodded silently adding an 'I think.'

She carefully made her way around looking to find where they poured the drinks but it seemed to evade her. She was slightly aggravated by the way her hips switched when she wore heels, and by the fact that she felt completely unable to defend herself in such a restricting outfit.

Suddenly there was someone behind her and a drink was being held in front of her. She recognized the arm it was attached to and was suddenly leery about taking it. There was a single hand on her hip and a large body pressed against her. She could smell the Quikal on his breath, as he place a kiss on her neck.

"Drink love?" he asked.

"Don't touch me Van…" she snapped rolling her eyes.

"You look real good," he said ignoring her and resting his chin on her shoulder allowing his hand to fall to the slit in her dress, then slowly slide up her thigh.

"Van…" she started pulling away from him, she stomach turning in disgust.

"Shut up…" he snapped roughly pulling her back to him further back from the crowds, wrapping the hand with the drink in it around her neck, "Drink…"

She twisted her head away as he attempted to pour it down her throat, she batted it away with her free hand. He tightened his hold around her neck, and she gasped for air clawing at his arm. He didn't seem to notice as he slowly slid his hand back up her dress pressing her up against himself.

"Van," she croaked, "Your drunk please don't do this…"

"Shut-up and like it…" he whispered.

Sage Morrison slipped back behind one of the buildings as the music started with his friend Kayla. He had a joint in hand. He ran a hand through pale jade colored hair, he'd dyed specifically because of his name, all that time with his family was enough to make him retch. His gray eyes instantly had a look of panic in them.

"Fuck…my lighter…" he sighed then lit up when Kayla pulled it from her bra," is in your tits…yum…" he said in disdain.

Kayla wasn't unattractive by any means, hazel eyes stop sign red hair that he'd dyed for her. He'd also pierced her eyebrow three times, her tongue and her nose. She had a decent figure, but as far as Sage was concerned she was a bitch. It was funny sometimes, but at times his childhood friend could be too much.

"Damned right they are and don't you forget it," she snapped lighting the joint for him.

He inhaled deeply before passing it to her. He'd already taken off his tie and his jacket, the buttons on his sleeves were undone, as were the top to buttons of his shirt.

"Formal wear is such a drag…" he sighed, then stopped talking abruptly hearing signs of a struggle.

"Ignore it, some drunks probably got in a fight," Kayla scoffed rolling her eyes that were thickly lined in eyeliner.

"Yeah…" Sage replied but still he listened intently, taking another hit.

"Don't touch me…" Sage heard the female voice in the distance.

Sage quickly passed her the joint, "I'll be back…" he said before she could protest.

Sage found a rather large man with a girl pinned down underneath him, even in the dark he could see the bruises and scratch marks the man had from her struggling. He tackled the man off of her and started punching him. A familiar yet welcomed pain went through his hands, he stopped a half a second to smile wickedly at the man. Sixteen short thick metal spikes popped out of each hand, one behind every knuckle on all of his fingers and thumbs, and two slightly larger ones on the backs of his hands closer to his wrist. He viciously continued to punch him, feeling a type of sadistic euphoria take over him. It happened every time the spikes came out…and he couldn't stop himself…worse…he didn't want to because he wasn't himself he became a different person.

A large hand clamped onto his shoulder, when he didn't stop hitting him he found himself sailing through the air landing less than gracefully on his back a few feet away.

"Damn it kid…you didn't leave any for me…" Came a familiar voice.

"Sorry Mr. Logan…" he grinned dusting himself off.

Logan regarded the kid a moment, he was a lazy pot head as far as he could tell. He'd never really been fond of Sage up until this very moment. His eyes fell to the spikes protruding from his hands, that he quickly tried to hide.

"Easy kid…it's alright…" Logan shrugged, "You don't have to hide what you are here…"

Sage shrugged and turned and offered the girl on the ground a hand, "Just watch the spikes…I can't get rid of them…you okay?"

Bridget regarded the boy after brushing herself off. He was a good 6'2" probably about 230lbs. Van was about the same height but wider, stronger too she would've guessed…drunk though.

"Yeah…" she said looking down, "Thanks…is he…alive?"

Sage's eyes widened as if he hadn't thought to check…Logan nodded a sense of disappointment about him, "Yeah…McCoy's gonna have a hell of a time repairing his face though…"

"Oops…" Sage winced, "I'm…so…sorry…I get carried away sometimes…"

Logan laughed dryly, "It's a shame McCoy'll waste his time fixing that dick…I'd just as soon finish him off…"

"Logan…he was drunk…" Bridget told him.

"I don't give a fuck…" Logan snarled, "There ain't no fucking excuse…"

Logan's eyes slid over to the red headed girl that joined them who was obviously very high. She coughed and looked around calmly.

"What'd I miss?" she asked.

"Glad you helped yourself to the rest of my joint…" Sage rolled his eyes.

Logan narrowed his eyes.

"Hey no one said it was illegal here…" Sage snapped defensively.

"Then why'd you come all the way over here to smoke it?" Logan demanded.

"My parents would blow a gasket…" Sage shrugged, "They'd also flip if they knew I was a mutant…so could you not say anything to them?"

Logan nodded.

"Besides if I don't smoke it, I get into a lot of fights…" Sage shrugged , then suddenly with realization he looked back over at Bridget…"Sage…"

"Come again?" Bridget looked at him inquisitively.

"His name, sweetheart…it's Sage…" Kayla rolled her eyes haughtily.

"Shut up, Kay…" Sage sighed.

"Bridget…" she told him.

"That bitch over there is Kayla…" Sage nodded toward the red haired girl.

Kayla smiled bitterly and flicked off Sage, "Eat me."

"I don't eat fish…" he responded promptly.

"Come on darlin' let me get you checked out by Hank…" Logan said gently.

"He didn't…did he? Cause I'll kill him if he did…" Sage asked…Spikes popping through the bleeding circles left behind from the first time.

"Easy kid…you ever killed anyone before?" Logan asked,.

"Me?… yeah…" Sage informed him smiling wickedly again.

Logan sighed…" See me after class tomorrow…we can teach you how to control that…"

"You didn't answer me," Sage shifted ready to pounce on the man at the wrong answer.

"He tried," she muttered quietly, "But he didn't…"

"Good…" Sage nodded relaxing but the spikes still protruded from his hands, "Then we don't have to kill him…just try to…"

"Easy, Thorn…" Kayla muttered.

"I know you are Kayla." Sage snapped.

Logan raised an eyebrow, as the girl just sighed. "Quit being an asshole."

"Why don't you make me?" Came Sage's arrogant reply, a complete change in demeanor for him.

Logan smiled, "Kid you're bitin' off more than you can chew…"

"You have no idea how much I can chew…about as much as Kayla can swallow…" he retorted.

Kayla jumped in between the men, "Mr. Logan please don't…its his mutation…he's not the same person…he changes…Sage isn't mean…Sage would never kill…"

"No he wouldn't, because Sage is a big bitch…Call me Thorn…" he smiled.

Logan looked at him oddly for a minute…but then he saw it, Sage's normal smoky gray eyes were a deep green color. The boy had a mischievous gleam to his eye just ready to pounce on the next thing that moved. Logan finally nodded clearly seeing the difference.

"Interesting…" Logan muttered relaxing a bit.

"I'm stronger than Sage, Faster, more agile, better endurance…basically the up graded version, yet he likes to suppress me with weed…ain't that a bitch…" Thorn shrugged.

"Cause you're a dick…" Kayla replied.

"Then I'm a little surprised you're complaining…as much as you love dick…" Thorn retorted., "Oh wait it's because he won't let you jump on his…that's why you're bitching…"

Logan moved to shut up but Bridget was already in front of him talking to Thorn.

"I'm having a bit of trouble walking in these heels…now with me twisting my ankle and all can you please help me find Hank?" She asked him hoping to give the girl a break, since the last comment really seemed to get under her skin.

Thorn regarded her a moment before conceding. But instead of allowing her to use him like a crutch he simply scooped her up and walked back toward the people.

Logan went to go after him but Kayla stopped him, "He won't hurt her…Thorn and I just don't get along…Me and Sage on the other hand…good friends…when he comes down he'll be Sage again and apologize for everything…it may take him a bit calm down this time…attempted rape most likely pisses them both off…when Sage is pissed he's automatically Thorn…when they're both pissed…well its never good…"

"So he's only Thorn when he's pissed?" Logan asked.

"No…that's just when it happens the most frequently…sometimes they switch to give the other some down time but its rare…Thorn always gets him in trouble…so Usually Sage smokes a lot of weed to repress him…as long as Thorn's high he won't bother to try and take control…to lazy…" Kayla told him.

"Sounds like the kids could use some counseling," Logan replied raising his eyebrows and looking with disdain at Van's unconscious body, "Guess I got to take that to a medic…"

Kayla nodded, "Well…yeah…"

Thorn set her down in a chair with the intent of going to find Hank, but suddenly the ground shook and Thorn nearly fell on the girl, he caught himself on the arms of the chair and stood over her to make sure nothing fell on her, but it was over before it had started. Thorn's green eyes widened standing back up ready to hit whatever the cause, earning him an amused smile from Bridget.

"Calm yourself boyo, T'was just a wee Tremor…" She smiled.

"So Pern wants to dance does it?" Came Paul Bendon's amused voice from the musician platform.

"I think he's out of his right mind," Bridget muttered to the still tense Thorn, "I'm sure Hank's go off now…like all the other specialists…"

"Thought the fur ball was a doctor, not a geologist…" Thorn muttered still looking for a target of some sort.

"He is, he's got several doctorates actually, He's a Chemist, biologist, physicist, geologist, Medical doctor….among other things I hear…The man's a right genius…" Bridget told him.

"Guess looks are deceiving…" he replied, "Should we find another medic?"

"Don't bother…I'm fine…could just use a shower, I still feel like I smell like him…" She sighed, since being around Logan and Hank she'd become a lot more self conscious about what and who she smell like. Logan was always reading her emotions by smell alone…which made her wonder what all he could smell…and made her very self conscious.

"You do…" Thorn grumbled looking back were they'd came from as if considering going back and pounding on him some more.

She wrinkled up her head in confusion.

"Everything of mine is better than Sage's…senses included…" He told her once again picking her up.

"Where we going?" she asked looking at him oddly.

"Shower…" Thorn replied.

In the back of his head he could hear Sage protesting, _You can't take her home! Mom and Dad would flip!_

_So what? Mom and Dad are out here dancing and drinking to this ridiculous music they won't notice_, Thorn 'Replied.'

_Take her to **HER** home, not ours dumb ass_, Sage insisted.

Thorn sighed, "Where do you live?"

"In a camp out in the forest…" She told him.

Thorn looked at her oddly for a moment.

"Gypsy…" she explained.

"Really?" Thorn raised his eyebrows, "Cool…wait that means no running water…"

"We bathe in the ocean…we have soap and shampoo and everything we just use the ocean waters…" she told him shrugging idly.

_Nope sorry asshole she's going to our place…ya know where there's **hot **water…_Thorn told Sage.

_Fine but don't do anything obnoxious or I'm taking over_, Sage replied, unable to tell him no, after all the girl deserved a hot shower.

_I__'m not **THAT** much of an asshole, the girl almost got raped for cryin' out loud_,Thorn replied angrily, pissed off that Sage thought he'd do something stupid even if it wasn't for current circumstances.

"What's wrong?" she asked looking up seeing Thorn's face twisted into an angry visage, his strong jaw flexing.

"Me and Sage were just having a conversation…" he replied, "By the way we're going to my place so you can take a hot shower."

"You really don't have to do that its ok…" she protested.

"No, no We don't have to but we will…" Thorn shrugged carrying her off.


	4. Chapter 4

_Author's notes: WARNING: Because of the introduction of another Marvel Mutant character there will be crude references to rape and sex…if you've only read the child friendly version of anything having to do with 'this character' (Don't wanna spoil it) you're in for a big surprise because if you read about him you'll find nothing child friendly about him…if this offends of disturbs you I'm very sorry it is only a FICTION…with that said enjoy & REVIEW you've been warned about the content. _

"Alright your go…" Sage told her, "Do just what I did…"

Sage's soft gray eyes had returned by the time she was done in the shower, he'd given a T-shirt and some of his shorts. Kayla had come around after waiting Thorn out, and the three of them sat in a circle with cards in their hand.

"All right, Kayla…got any Queens?" Bridget asked the red haired girl who'd been staring her down as soon as she walked in. Bridget figured it had something to do with the fact that when she walked in, Sage was in the shower, and she was laying on his bed in his clothes, she supposed that looked a bit awkward.

"Besides the one next to me?" Kayla shook her head unable to hide her disdain for the girl…"Go fuck yourself…"

"FYI…Its actually supposed to be 'Go Fish' but this is the version we play…and normally there's no liquor involved either but its so much more fun that way…take a shot and pick up a card…"

Bridget easily downed the harsh liquid without so much as batting an eye.

"It's kinda hard to believe a girl whose never heard of 'Go fish; can drink this shit like its water…" Sage laughed.

"I'm Irish Boyo, to me it is water…" she shrugged, "Drinking I can do…the only card games we ever played was for money…Black Jack, Rummy, Poker…"

"Any good at Poker?" Sage asked.

"Horrible…" she smirked.

_We are totally playing strip poker with her sometime,_ Thorn smirked in Sage's head.

_Shut the fuck up, Thorn,_ Sage replied.

_Are you telling me you don't want to see her naked? _Thorn demanded.

_I didn't say that, I'm just not a douche bag like you are, _Sage responded taking a shot on his turn.

_Yeah, your saying that now but as soon as her shirt comes off you won't be bitching, _Thorn insisted.

By the end of the game, Kayla was completely wasted, so much so she just passed out. Bridget kindly turned her on her side. Sage had gotten pretty trashed himself, she assumed Sage had done the same as Kayla, but instead of actually being unconscious it was Thorn who she spoke to now. Thorn seemed way more coherent than Sage had been, when she asked he again repeated that he was the upgraded version of Sage.

"Now you little lady can hold quite a bit of liquor…" Thorn observed, his arm draped casually around her, his gloved hand twirled a strand of her hair. He'd put the leather fingerless gloves on to cover the wounds on his hands even though they'd already had the holes from Thorn's metal spikes, they had been less noticeable, until Thorn decided to join them then once again the spikes protruded painfully from his hands.

"I'm an Irish Lass what'd you expect?" She demanded.

"True, true…Shame on me I should've known better," Thorn nodded, "So when are we gonna do this under better circumstances?"

"Guess we really didn't meet under the best circumstances…but I owe you one…both of you…Thank you…" Bridget took a deep breath and all those words came out in a jumble that made Thorn laugh.

"Actually when I said better circumstances, I meant without the drunk cow on the floor…" Thorn shrugged, "But you're welcome…I did most of the grunt work anyway…" Thorn narrowed his emerald eyes thoughtfully, but remained silent.

"You really don't like her do ya?" Bridget asked shifting uncomfortably under his scrutiny.

"Nope can't stand the annoying possessive bitch…" Thorn replied with the same look in his eyes.

"Funny thought she was his girlfriend…" Bridget shrugged.

"Oh fuck that…there is no way in hell I'd let that happen…I'd fucking kill her…" Thorn growled, but easily calmed back down when Bridget laughed at him, once again looking at her intensely causing her to shift uncomfortably once more.

"What?!" she demanded after a good thirty seconds.

"You're not used to being around people your own age…" he stated not changing his gaze.

"No…I'm used to My cousin who's younger than me, My uncle who hates Mutants, My Aunt who hates me, and My so-called Uncle who like to touch me…then there's Logan, Hank and Betsy…Then Sorka who I don't see too often…but is the same age as my cousin…so no not at all…"

"I get a small feeling you won't have to worry about your Uncle…if Mr. Logan didn't kill him I'm sure by the time he heals he'll, know better…and if not let me know and I'll kill him…" Thorn smiled smoothly.

She flushed and look away uncomfortably.

"Hey…don't…" Thorn tilted her head back toward him, "you don't have anything to be embarrassed about…besides I want to see those blue eyes…"

Thorn leaned toward her as if to kiss her but stopped abruptly and sighed…"Joy… parents are back…" he said flatly five seconds later Bridget heard the front door open, with two people talking and laughing.

Thorn quickly gestured for her to get under the bed which she did without asking. The way she was raised if you were told to hide you didn't ask questions. Thorn pushed the liquor under the bed with her and sprayed a minty spray in his mouth and in the mouth of Kayla who didn't bother waking up.

"What are you doing in here?" Came a womanly voice.

"Having kinky sex with Kayla what does it look like?" Thorn demanded gesturing to the cards on the floor.

The woman rolled her eyes in annoyance.

"We were playing cards mom…and the heifer fell asleep," Thorn told her.

"Sage!," his mom chided him, "That is a horrible thing to call her…I swear I don't know what gets into you sometimes…and why do you insist on wearing those stupid gloves all the time…"

"Hands get cold…" he shrugged as his mother moved from the doorway, "Good night mom…"

"Make sure Kayla has a blanket Sage!" his mom called down the hall.

"Fuck you…" Thorn muttered.

"What was that?" his mom stopped.

"I said, Love you…" Thorn replied smoothly.

"Love you too," she responded without a second thought.

Thorn waited a minute until he heard her bedroom door close, before he slid Bridget out from under the bed easily with one hand. He leaned mischievously over top over her. His jade eyes gleaming down at her…

"What the fuck are you doing boy?" Came a familiar voice that made Thorn jump a good three feet.

"When the fuck did you get in here little man?" Thorn demanded not used to anyone being able to sneak up on him.

"Right behind you parents…." Logan replied narrowing his eyes.

Bridget had sat up immediately upon hearing Logan's voice. Logan's eyes fell onto her wardrobe.

"We didn't do anything…" Thorn rolled his eyes, "She didn't have anything else to wear…"

"I know…cause if you had done anything, you'd be out that window and on your front lawn with me knocking that smart ass look off your face…boy…I **can **smell the difference…" Logan snapped, "Come on darlin"

She immediately got up smiling apologetically, "I'll uh bring these back to you…when I'm not wearing them…"

"Works for me…" he smiled devilishly, and she flushed.

"I meant…" she sighed in frustration, Logan gave the boy a dirty look.

"I gotcha…see ya later then…" Thorn told her his smile fading but returning to that intense gaze he had before.

"Uh, yeah…thanks again, boyo," She said before silently making her way out the door.

Logan offered Thorn one last dirty look before turning to walk out, Thorn flicked him off as he walked away and Logan stopped cold.

"Boy I'll cut that off…" Logan growled quietly.

"Damn he's good…" Thorn muttered thoughtfully.

"I'm the best at what I do…" Logan replied before walking out the door and shutting it without a sound.

Bridget shifted uncomfortably, then scanned the group of kids…all the younger kids were separated, doing some other activity with Betsy… while Logan had a class with the older kids. She saw plenty of familiar faces but none of them were any that she felt the need to speak to and as it stood she was highly aware the feeling was mutual. It wasn't until a light tap on her shoulder that she saw someone she may want to speak to. The bright haired Kayla looked at her blanked and vaguely annoyed…

"Sage wants you to come smoke with us…" her tone was just a placid, and slightly rude as her expression.

"You really think you guys can sneak out without Logan noticing?" Bridget whispered.

She sighed in contempt, "Yeah…we do it every damned day…Mr. Logan doesn't… "

"And I noticed every damned day but I figured you were a couple of useless burnt out stoners, and who was I to stop you from doing all you'll ever do…but now I know who you are…I know better…therefore…you skip my class, you leave it to smoke…anything…I will have in detention for the next three weeks…and trust me…that's bad…" Logan snapped suddenly, Kayla went wide eyed at Logan's unexpected entrance into he girls' conversation.

Bridget smiled knowingly, but her smiled faded slightly when he addressed her.

"And Darlin' I swear to god if you become burnt out like her…I'll beat your ass personally…" Logan snapped staring her down shocking the rest of the class.

Bridget allowed a smirked to return to her face, "You know Logan…excuse me Mr. Logan…I can grow any plant…may take a few tries in this soil, but I can get you some really good herb…if you ever wanna be less uptight…"

Kayla turned bright red in an effort not to laughed, as the rest of the class didn't bother to hold it in, "He's totally gonna blow a gasket…"

A low growl emitted from Logan's throat and another thought hit him…"Where's Sage?"

Kayla shrugged in a typical teenage fashion, that further agitated Logan…"You're lyin', not only can I hear your heart beat change and your breathing speed up slightly…How were you planning on smoking with him if you didn't know where he is…?"

Kayla looked away in slight shock.

"Get him you've got two minutes, if come back smelling like smoke…you get detention…with Bridget…I hope you didn't think you were getting out of that…" Logan replied looking at Bridget as he finished, who waved him off noncommittally.

"Anything's better than home…" she muttered under her breath, knowing full and well Logan heard her.

Logan hadn't let her go home that night…he didn't trust Porrig…or any of the other men for that matter even though she insisted it was only Van that gave her real trouble. He suspected that her mutant hating uncle might be hazardous to her health also. Logan allowed her to sleep in his bed and he slept on the couch…though Bridget doubted he slept at all.

Logan locked eyes with her a minute, for a second she saw sympathy, then it was gone…but she in turn met his gaze with a steely gaze of her own. She whispered a single word so lightly she herself was barely sure she'd said anything at all…just a single…"Don't…" she hated sympathy… Her people always handled their own issues…maybe not as well as they should but well enough to survive.

She did appreciate the help Sage, Thorn and Logan had given her, but she felt slightly ashamed that she couldn't handle it on her own. She felt her father would have been ashamed…and her Uncle Porrig had never said anything to deny that fact. He had told her many times in the past her parents would have been ashamed of her.

She was suddenly aware of Logan's scrutiny again, as she looked up she caught a disapproving glare from him, like he'd read her thoughts. Just as sudden, his eyes darted from her to the green hair that finally stood beside her with his arms crossed and an annoyed look on his face.

"I want to see all three of you after class that was way more than two minutes…" Logan snapped, then continued with is lecture on irrigation, leaving no room for any type of dispute that may have occurred.

After class Logan went on a long spew, about how they could do better and how he's going to demand more out of them than what he had previously…but Bridget got the feeling he was speaking to her, especially when she looked away from him and he said nothing. After a bit he sent them off and she tried to go off with them but his hand landed on her shoulder.

"Oh no you don't…," Logan growled, but his tone softened considerable when Kayla and Sage were out of ear shot…"You ain't got nothing to be embarrassed about…it ain't your fault…"

"I'm not…I know…" Bridget said quickly.

"Shut up…every emotion has a different smell…all of them…I know what they smell like…and I've been around long enough to know why…mostly…" he smiled.

"M'da would be ashamed of me…" she lowered her head.

Logan forced her to look back at him, by placing a single finger under her chin and pushing her face up, "No he wouldn't…and if he would…he'd be a fool…and I'd gut him…"

She smiled slightly, "You kill everything that doesn't agree with you?"

"Nope…a lot more people would be dead…" Logan replied grimly, suddenly a familiar voice filled his head.

_Dreadfully sorry to interrupt but we need you in the med lab…STAT…_Came Betsy's urgent voice.

Logan was slightly surprised at her tone, and the fact that it was in the med lab they needed him. On top of that he wasn't used to Psylock in his head. Nonetheless he complied.

"Darlin' I gotta go…you're welcome to my place if you want…anything that's in the fridge if your hungry…" Logan told her before taking off toward landing.

Bridget looked after him slightly confused by his sudden departure, she's gotten the feeling he wasn't done talking. Then again he was always short and to the point, but the sudden distant look he had also caused her slight confusion. She shrugged it off, trying not to feel as if he brushed her off, he had after all offered her his place to stay, but she dumbly decided to go back to her camp for a bit just to try it out, and see how it goes. She knew she was going to regret it.

Logan made it to the med lab within fifteen minutes. Even before he got in there he caught a familiar scent, that made the hair on his arms rise and forced him to emit a low threatening growl. He burst into the door but he knew the man wasn't in there.

"He's gone already…We tried to stop him…" Psylock told him lowering his head gesturing to and empty deep sleep chamber.

"He was rabid and slightly frantic…like you were…perhaps the same fate fell on him as it did you…" Hank suggested.

"Doesn't matter I have to find him before someone else does…" Logan grumbled, "What the hell happened?"

"One of the medics, remembered how they found you in a pod like that and remembered what had happened…they thought they were doing him a favor…" Betsy told him.

Logan growled then took off before anyone else could get another word in.

"Oh my stars and Garters…this could get quite ugly…" Hank sighed, "I'm going to assist Logan in his search…whether he likes it or not…

"Do, be careful Henry…" Betsy cautioned him.

"Of course," he replied kissing her gently on her head.

The air smell sweet and unpolluted and there were plants he was unfamiliar with, not that he'd been an expert on them but none of them seemed familiar. Then there was that odd bluish-green color. The grass was easily identify able as grass, but at the same time it look off too. He tried desperately to catch the scent of a car or a bus but to no avail.

The trees looked as odd as the plants…and the birds…even they looked strange. He didn't smell any familiar wild animals, there were some domesticated ones that smelled mostly normal…but even they were slightly different.

"Where the fuck am I?" he grumbled to himself.

He suddenly became aware that he wasn't the only one in the wooded area he took refuge in, as he moved he realized there was an entire group of people. Sniffing the air he could smell the different fires they had going…about ten different fires…each with anywhere from ten to twenty people around them. As he moved in range to actually see them he realized what they were, Gypsies.

One group in particular stood out because of a loud argument.

"You're full of shit!," Porrig snarled roughly grabbing Bridget by the arm, "Van wouldn't…that piece of shit was just looking for a reason…fucking no good mutants…and you let him beat the hell of your own Uncle for a lie!"

"Stop it Dad!" Sean yelled grabbing his upper arms from behind him, but that didn't stop Porrig from back handing her.

She immediately lowered her head, and spit out a mouth full of blood. Sean was about to wedge himself in between the two when suddenly Porrig was flung to the ground. A large primal growl echoed throughout their cave. Sean was surprised to see the noise had not in fact come from Mr. Logan as he'd expected but from a large nude blonde. His long blonde hair was a mane around his large head, and his body was covered in hair, not at all unlike Logan…but Sean was definitely seeing more of him than he'd seen of Logan or wanted to see of either of them. The large blonde stood over Porrig, and growled menacingly, before hauling him up. His razor-like claw bit into the soft flesh of the man's neck, as he pulled him close to his face and snarled viciously.

"I'd watch what I said about mutants if I were you boy…might be hazardous to your health otherwise…" with that said he viciously ejected Porrig from the cave and he landed with an audible pop on a larger rock. Sean automatically ran to his side. Other Gypsies gathered around the outside of the cave peering in at what had caused the commotion. The easily cleared with a snarl from the man who was clearly seven foot tall.

"Who are you? And Where are your pants?" Bridget looked at him oddly trying to hold eye contact to avoid looking anywhere that was less clothed than it should be.

"I was just wondering that myself…" he muttered regarding the girl for a moment.

"Who you are?" she wrinkled up her head in confusion.

"Nope…where my pants were…" he replied, "Do you have any idea what it feels like to wake up and not know where your pants are?"

"There was one night with a whole lot of whiskey…" she smirked.

He laughed a bit, "Somehow I don't think that's the problem…What's your name girlie?"

"Bridget…" she replied stepping back as he moved toward her.

"Bridget…" he let it roll off his tongue as if contemplating it a moment, "Victor Creed…"

He held out his hand, when she moved to take his large hand he lightly ran a claw down the side of her face, "Cute…"

When she went to pull away he grabbed her neck, with an impressive speed. He didn't squeeze her neck or impede her breathing but he put just enough pressure on her neck so she knew he could kill her easily. She got the feeling he could squeeze until her head popped off with little to no effort. He gently stroked the side of her face with his index finger, his grip never loosening.

"Wanna tell me where we are frail?" he asked raising an eyebrow.

"Our camp is about 20 kilometers south of Landing…and this would be so much less awkward if you had pants…" Bridget noted shifting uncomfortably.

"Landing?' Victor continued ignoring the girl.

"Yeah you know where we landed when we got to the planet…" she told him attempting to pull away again, but she realized the more she struggled the tighter his grip became so she instantly fell still and he relaxed his grip slightly.

"No, I don't, enlighten me…" he replied tersely narrowing his eyes.

"We're on Pern," She told him.

"Okay and how do I get back to Earth…" he asked.

"You don't…it took us all fifteen years to get here, it was one way, there's not enough fuel on the planet to get back…" she replied looking slightly aghast.

Victor laughed but she had the feeling that there was no joy in it, he abruptly hauled her up by her throat his grip tightening, "What the hell do you mean one way? You mean I'm stuck on this god forsaken planet?"

She nodded her eyes widening in fear, causing him to smile…suddenly he caught a familiar scent, very faintly on her clothes. He sniffed around her neck…"You slept in his bed…its been fifteen years has it? I missed fifteen birthdays…I've got a lot to make up for…"

"He wasn't in his bed when I was…" Bridget replied defensively trying hard not to struggle with him.

"Of course not…Runt's to much of a goody two shoes…if only you knew what he actually wanted to do to you girlie…" Victor growled smiling predatorily.

"Put her down Sabertooth…" came the articulate voice of Hank McCoy.

"Then find me some pants McCoy…" Victor replied easily.

"We can do that, just put her down…" Hank responded politely yet firmly, "There is no reason we wouldn't get you pants…in fact all things considered we'd actually prefer you to have pants, if you'll just follow me…"

"To?" Victor asked once again stroking the side of Bridget's finger with his index finger.

"To the medical lab at landing, I'm positive we have some scrubs that'll fit you until we get you some actual clothing…" Hank told him.

"McCoy I hope you're not planning on trying to domesticate that animal…" Came Logan's gruff voice emerging from a wooded area.

"Someone domesticated you…" Hank pointed out.

"I'm not out of my fucking mind…"

"I refuse to be domesticated…"

The replies of the two men came simultaneously.

"I ain't the runt…" Sabertooth continued.

"Put her down Creed!" Logan snarled unsheathing his claws.

"What are you gonna do if I don't?" he grinned, "The pants McCoy…the girlie can keep me company until then…"

"I'll rip you to pieces if you don't keep your hands off of her…" Logan snarled.

"Victor please put the girl down…" Hank asked a little more forcefully.

He shrugged and set her down in front of him, "Don't take this personal…but I ain't gonna fight you until I get some pants…"

"Oh thank god for small favors…" Bridget said letting out a sigh of relief.

Sabertooth growled slightly in annoyance, then pulled to the back of the cave studying it thoroughly. Logan quickly went to the girl's side examining her carefully. He touched the swollen bruise that had formed around her split lip.

"That ain't from Creed, I know better…if he was gonna hurt you…" Logan started.

"She'd be all over this cave…" Sabertooth finished.

Logan snarled glaring at him, then turned back to her. She had her head down and was no longer looking at Logan but to the empty space where Hank had gone, he'd grabbed her Uncle on the way.

"I'll be sure to discuss that with Porrig later…" Logan growled a deep throaty growl, that sent a chill down Bridget's spine.

Logan turned her head toward him abruptly, "I never want to smell that on you kid, especially when I'm the cause…you don't ever need to be 'Fraid of me…" he response was sharp almost angry, maybe it had something to do with Victor's soft laughter in the background he was trying hard to ignore, his voice softened a bit nonetheless, "Now go on, get outta here."

Bridget smiled halfway, then suddenly frown, "Ya know Logan…If you fight 'em naked there's goin' to be plenty of interesting rumors runnin' around that question your sexuality…"

Logan growled and narrowed his eyes and Creed suddenly stopped laughing.

"Have fun boys…" Bridget told them raising an eyebrow and smirking slightly before turning and walking out.

"She's real funny, Runt…" Sabertooth noted staring after her.

"I'd kill you before you touched her…" Logan replied.

"I'm still alive now…" he pointed out shrugging.

"You touch her again your dead," Logan growled having a hard time retraining himself from pouncing on him, but reminding himself that he'd be pouncing on a naked man…helped a considerable amount.

"Like you don't plan on doin' the same thing , Runt, its only natural…you want her, you get her and that's that…" Victor chided him grinning.

"But I don't want her…not like that…she's only a child!" Logan snarled.

"Does your nose tell you she's a child? She smells like a woman…mature in all the ways that count…but virgins…they smell so much sweeter…just makes you wanna bend her right over the kitchen counter…"

"Shut the fuck up Creed," Logan snarled his claws sliding out involuntarily.

"…and pound her sweet, tight little…"

"Pants! Mr. Creed…" Came Hank's abrupt interruption, chucking pale green hospital scrubs at him.

He laughed plucking them out of the air, watching Logan carefully, he was so pissed he shook, all his muscles completely taunt.

"Virgins are fun…" he continued while slowly putting on the pants, "They always scream…no, don't…please stop…it hurts…squirmy little things too…but you'd be strong enough to hold that one still…"

Victor was fully expecting Logan to attack him as soon as he had the pants on, but he wasn't expecting the four tranquilizer darts that hit him in the chest as soon as he stood straight up.

"McCoy…are you out of your fucking…." Creed started but his voice trailed off as he collapsed to the ground, and Hank set down the tranquilizer gun.

"There was enough sedatives in those to down a small elephant…He'll be sleep for a bit…It would be very in humane to just kill him but I think I have a better plan…" Hank told Logan who seemed a bit disappointed that he didn't get a chance to hit him.

"There's a better plan than killing him? What are we gonna jettison him into space?" Logan asked pulling a hand rolled cigar from his top pocket, and lighting it.

"I think I might have one…" Hank nodded, knowing very well that to Logan there was no alternative to killing him.


	5. Chapter 5

Author's Notes: More Crudeness Because Sabertooth isn't going a damned place…(He's my favorite Villain…and Logan's my favorite X-men Mmmm Love those gruff men…lol) enjoy guys….Reviews are appreciated…8-D…Reviews are wonderful things thank you for them and I'd love more feed back…I'll bribe you with virtual cookies…:-D enjoy guys…

From the outside one could see smoke billowing out the bedroom window of the house on Canadian Square. The pungent aroma of everyone's favorite green herb could be picked up meters before even seeing the smoke. If one couldn't tell whose room it came from the loud inebriated and decidedly off key, voices of two teenagers that could be heard all around Canadian Square, would give you a clue.

"I smoke two joints in the morning!"

"I smoke two joints at night!"

"I smoke two joints in the afternoon!"

"It makes me feel alright!"

"I smoke two joints in time of peace…"

"And two in time of war…"

"I smoke two joints before I smoke two joints!"

"And then I smoke two more!"

Bridget watched in amusement, as Sage and Kayla traded lines back and forth of an unfamiliar American song. She exhaled a puff of the fresh hydro she'd grown for them. The two had ran to her desperately after they'd exhausted their own supply. In all their gratefulness they began introducing her to American music…this CD she thought was called…sublind…

"What's so funny about Sublime? Next to Bob Marley they are one of the best groups to toke out to," Kayla told her decidedly more friendly than normal.

Bridget wasn't sure if she was friendlier because she'd done them a favor or because she was stoned out of her mind…she decided it was the latter of the two being that she'd been no nicer when asking for the favor than she'd ever been. But at the time Bridget didn't care…she didn't care about much at the moment…not even the fact that Logan had followed his nose to the smell and to them.

"Not laughing at the music Boyo…got plenty to laugh at watching you two stoners…" Bridget giggled.

"You act like your not just as high as we are…" Sage laughed in response.

"Oh I'm higher then a Rasta on Mt. Everest…which may be why you're so damned amusing…" Bridget smiled, her head whirled around as Logan cleared his throat in the doorway, she automatically offered him the joint in her hand.

Kayla's face dropped into a straight face that was trying to hold in laughter, "Hi Mr. Logan…"

"I'm well aware that you are…" Logan replied sharply not acknowledging the joint the girl tried in vain to give him, "I need to talk to you Bridget…"

"Mr. Logan are you sure it's a good idea? Anything important you have to say would just be lost right now…" Sage told him slowly and grudgingly shifting to Thorn mid-sentence immediately killing his buzz.

Thorn had a healing factor, and the healing factor prevented him from getting high without mass quantities of whatever substance…be it alcohol or weed…hospital tranquilizers, pain killers anything had to be taken in mass quantities to effect him…Sage lacked the healing factor, but Thorn's presence healed the chemical out of his system.

"I'll relay the important stuff later…" Logan smiled halfway, surprising Thorn a bit.

"Alright are you dying?" Thorn asked, "Cause you looked pissed when you walked in…"

"She'll be more honest high…" he responded.

Logan rolled his eyes as he helped Bridget up, who protested the entire concept of moving at the moment, but gave in because arguing with him was much more work. He pulled her outside the door and looked at her oddly for a moment.

"You know I'd never hurt you right?" Logan asked.

'"Yeah…I know…wait this is not about the naked blonde man is it? Cause I think he's full of shit…" Bridget told him, her now bright red eyes peering up at him. , "Wow…it's real bright out here…"

"Yeah it happens…look I need you to listen very carefully…" Logan told her grabbing her head with both hands and turning her to face him…as she attempted to watch a small squirrelly looking creature scuttle up a tree.

He automatically thought of how easy he could force her to do what he wanted her to, then snarled lightly cursing Sabertooth for even putting that idea in his head.

"What?!" she snapped mistaking his growl for one of aggravation with her, "I'm listening…"

"Stay away from him…" Logan told her.

Bridget wrinkled up her head in his grasp making for a comical expression. Logan sighed and tapped his thumps on her forehead, "Focus darlin'…Victor Creed…Sabertooth…the naked Blonde man…"

"Yeah…What about him?" she asked still confused.

"Stay away from him…" Logan said evenly trying not to yell, and trying hard not to squeeze her head till it popped…he mentally shook away that idea and once again cursed Sabertooth for suggesting that he hurt the girl.

"Gee darnn we were scheduled to swap life stories…should I cancel then?" she asked smirking.

"I'm serious…he'll kill you…" Logan insisted taking a deep breath.

"Okay…check…canceling…" she grinned, "Anything else love?"

Logan looked back toward the house frowning a bit.

"Don't blame that on them…I've been smoking Marijuana since I was 12..." She replied knowingly.

He sighed heavily and let her head go after kissing the top of it gently, then gesturing with his head for her to go back inside, wondering idly if she'd even remember that In all his life Victor Creed has never harmed a child, but the problem is…Creed didn't consider Bridget a child…and that worried him to no end. If he touched her he'd kill him no questions asked…Hank would have no say.

"Hey Mr. Logan…" Thorn's voice called to him as he turned to leave.

"Yeah…" Logan paused without turning around.

"So who is this blonde guy and how much should we be sweating?" he asked.

"His name's Victor Creed…and you should be sweating a lot…" Logan told him still not facing him, "Stay away from him, he'll kill you just the same…well correction he'll kill you he won't rape and kill you like he would her…"

"Oh he's that kind of asshole…" Thorn nodded frowning slightly and flexing his hands, but his tone seemed unconcerned, which was quite obviously a front, or an attempt to cover anger with apathy.

"You won't land a hit…don't bother…" Logan told him.

"If he lays a hand on her…you'll be surprised what hits I can land…" Thorn glowered.

"He'll kill you…" Logan sighed, "Don't be stupid…What's with the sudden attachment?"

"uh…Huh?" Thorn asked tone changing to one of confusion as he scratched his head and looked pointedly away from Logan, "I haven't a clue what you could possibly mean…"

"Don't feed me that bullshit…I smell right through it…you know it…I know it…and if either of you ever hurt her…there won't be enough pieces of you left to put you back together…" Logan growled lowering his voice as he finished the sentence.

"Knew you'd say that…" Thorn nodded.

Logan whirled around and grabbed him by the shirt and slammed him into the side of the house. He narrowed his eyes and unsheathed his claws on one hand.

"Hey…what're you doing…? Little man…?! Little man…?!" Thorn looked wide eyed.

"And this is so you know I'm serious…" Logan told him before sticking his claws through his torso…purposely missing all vital organs.

Thorn grabbed at his bleeding side which had already started to heal, "Fuck!…" _Don't be stupid Thorn…Mr. Logan would beat your ass…_Warned Sage in his mind.

_I know_

_Thorn!…Thorn!…Fuck this is gonna suck…_

Thorn balled up his fist involuntarily and slammed his fist into Logan's skull. He was mildly surprised to see sparks as he did that. He'd have been more surprise if he hadn't just snapped off four of his metal spikes on Logan's skull.

"Holy Shit!!! Good god that was excruciatingly painfully!!! Fuckin' Hell…Fuckin' Fuck!!!" Thorn growled automatically curling around his hand which already had four new metal spikes growing back in.

"Unbreakable metal bones…genius…"Logan rolled his eyes and walked off leaving the boy to his hand.

Blurry lights came into focus, he moved to rub his face with his hand and found he was restrained…before he flipped out, he realized he wasn't restrained, just hooked up to an IV. He ripped the IV from his oversized arm. It was taped to him with mass amounts of medical tape, probably because it kept healing out of him.

"Mr. Creed how do you feel?" Came Henry McCoy's voice from the left. He heard others shuffling around on his right, a woman…and a man. Behind McCoy he smelled the familiar scent of Psylocke, and he smelled the Irish Gypsy girl, and the man he forcefully evicted from the cave.

"Mr. Creed?" Came Hank's voice again.

"Why Psylocke your blood smells just as sweet as ever…" Victor smiled sitting straight up and looking at the woman.

For a second a flash of fear went through her eyes, then it was replaced by a patronizing smile, "Something you won't taste again…Mr. Creed…"

"I wouldn't bet on it girlie…" Victor snarled.

"Try it then…" she stood fast her arms crossed, the fear masked by arrogance.

He smiled, "Happy to oblige…"

Though he knew something was a bit off he couldn't resist an open invitation. He rose up from the hospital bed and lunged at the woman…or tried…he could feel his muscles locking up, he tried to push through it to no avail. He let out a loud throaty roar of frustration and whirled around to face Hank.

"What the fuck did you do to me Beast?!" he snarled.

Hank smiled pleasantly, "it's a neuro-inhibitor…a nearly microscopic silicon chip I implanted in your brain… I made it while you were unconscious…with little to no effort might I add…its simple…you can not harm anyone without just cause…you can very well retaliate if someone else initiates the fight…but you cannot kill someone for the simple purpose of killing…you cannot maim for the simple purpose of maiming…Mr. Creed…but you are very much free to go…"

Sabertooth whirled around toward Hank and snarled viciously, but when he reached for him his hand froze up as if to strangle him but he couldn't reach out to grab him. He turned from Hank and grabbed the bed he'd been in and hurled it across the room nearly hitting one of the medics.

Riley ducked just in time to miss the flying bed, her dark brown eyes widened, "I thought you said he couldn't hurt anyone…"

"He wasn't trying to hurt you…" Hank told her calmly…"That's why I took the liberty of removing all of the important equipment from the Medical Laboratory…"

Bridget promptly took cover behind the bed that had settled on its side in front of a row of cabinets that were firmly mounted on the wall. The two medics ran out the door as things flew around the lab…in an angry fit. Hank grabbed Betsy before she could become an accidental victim of the man's rage. He pulled her outside and still Victor's enraged roars could be heard.

"He's handling it rather well don't you think?" Hank said adjusting his glasses.

"You could've warned us you know, "Betsy chided him flattening her hair.

"Dreadfully sorry dear, it must've slipped my mind…" Hank apologized wincing a bit.

When a silence took over the lab, Bridget poked her head from behind the bed and saw Victor leaning against the wall in the wreckage, she noted that someone…probably one of the fleeing medics had taken the time to remove her Uncle from the scene…_Pity, _She thought.

"Ya feel better?" Bridget asked standing up and brushing a piece of drywall from her hair.

He snarled at her, then smiled reproachfully, "Nope…wanna help me feel better?"

She raised a single eyebrow the rolled her eyes and began to walk out but before she made it a step he was blocking her path, he reached out and ran a claw softly down the side of her face, "Relax girlie…we can get to that later actually I was gonna ask if you knew were I could find some liquor…"

She took a step back from him and nodded, looking up at him, unafraid. She then gestured with her head for him to follow her. Hank narrowed his eyes a bit when the two left together but Bridget shrugged at his inquisitive glance.

"Crazy or not…Man's had a rough day…he wants some liquor, and I can't bring myself to deny him that much…" she told him walking away before Hank could offer his opinion on the subject.

She lead him through the front door of Logan's house, which was now hers too. Logan had expressed rather vocally how he felt about her staying with her family and frankly she'd rather stay with Logan either way. Logan had even told her he'd build her, her own room, until then he'd insisted that she use his bed and he'd sleep on the couch. Though she'd told him she didn't mind the couch, that she'd slept worse places, he in turn replied by saying he'd probably slept worse places than her, and promptly ended the conversation leaving no room for argument.

Sabertooth laughed a bit when he realized she'd brought him to Logan's house, she opened the fridge and tossed him two bottles.

"Now get out…" she said simply, she then turned and walked down the hallway proceeding to get in the shower.

Victor looked after her with one eyebrow raised, and plopped down on the couch. Not five minutes later after he'd done so Logan returned bursting through the door upon smelling Sabertooth's scent.

"What the fuck are you doing here Creed?" Logan demanded claws unsheathed.

"Girl gave me some liquor…told me to leave…I decided to stay a while…she's in the shower…" Sabertooth grinned, "Must drive you nuts being such a nice guy…she's right there…all hot, naked…wet…right there and your morals won't let you do her against the bathroom wall…"

"Get out Creed…" Logan snarled in a low voice fists balling up tightly.

"Sure she'd struggle…but its way more fun when they do…she may not struggle for you…I bet all you'd have to do was tell her what you want…and she'd probably submit like the good little school girl…bend right over of you…" he continued.

Logan snarled and leapt at him claws first. Victor easily dove out of the way.

"Gonna tell me you wouldn't just love to beat out all your frustration on that sweet little ass…" Victor smiled as Logan swiped at him again, and he side stepped him casually, "I'll bet she'll scream…I love the vocal ones…you could push her head in the pillow, but I prefer to hear them scream…"

Logan once again dove at him but at his knees this time, driving his claws through his knee caps causing them to give in to Victor's weight and topple over. Victor let out a roar of pain, then back handed him off of him. He hauled him up by the throat as soon as his knees healed, but the chip prevented him from following up, so he held fast until Logan kick him, then Victor threw him out the front door and followed behind him.

"You know what's even better…to keep eye contact…make her stare you dead in the eye while you're fucking her…" Victor laughed as Logan sprung up and put claws on one hand through his hip and the other he swung upward and aimed for his face but Victor stopped that an inch before his face, Grunting in pain, and then proceeding to grab Logan by the side of his head and put his thumb through his eye.

Logan growled in pain, cursing, and thrust his claws at Sabertooth's abdomen, catching a kidney as his claws emerged from his back. Sabertooth snarled and Logan twisted his claws causing a another roar of pain. Sabertooth grabbed Logan by the throat and slammed him viciously to the ground, his skull landing on a rock the size of a soft ball…Creed lifted him up and brought him down with a bit more conviction, crushing the rock into sand, he then put his middle and ring finger in Logan's eyes and his thumb in Logan's mouth like a bowling ball and proceeded to slam his head from side to side into the side of his house, into the ground, into the trees…before finally slamming the back of his head into the ground again forcing his fingers into his brain, causing Logan to go limp.

"Still whupped, plain and simple…you'll always be sloppy seconds…" Sabertooth muttered, before going back inside and picking up his bottle again.

Bridget was just coming out of the shower with a towel wrapped firmly around her, her glance slid easily to Sabertooth…"Oh you're still here…" she said flatly as she turned to the fridge.

Victor emitted a low growl of pleasure cocking his head to the side as she bent down to grab a drink on the bottom shelf.

"Come here…" she heard him tell her from the opposite side of the room.

"Suck my…" she started as she stood up but she stopped abruptly when she backed into him, she hadn't even got the sentence out and he was across the room.

"What? Go ahead…tell me what of yours you want me to suck on…" he growled, she could hear the smile in his voice as he pressed up against her.

She drew in a sharp breath, dropping the beer she'd grabbed, but Sabertooth promptly caught it with his foot. He flipped it up to his hand and set it on top of the fridge, at the same time pushing her up against it. His crotch was pressed against her back until he steered her toward the wall…"Don't want the beer to fall…" This time when he pushed her against the wall he lifted her up so her ass was pressed firmly against his crotch.

"Suck your what?" he demanded talking in her ear.

His hot breath in her ear sent involuntary shivers down her spine. He flipped her around, holding her up against the wall with one hand by her forearms, lucky for her, her towel steadied firmly wrapped around her.

"Gonna make me guess? I can start at your neck and work my way down…or start at your toes and work my way up…" he told her sniffing at her neck.

Her breathing once again increasing, an icy finger of fear went up her spine and an entirely different feeling went to her crotch. One she was unfamiliar with yet recognized at the same time…one she hoped he didn't notice.

"You can't hurt me…the chip…" she started.

"No I can't **hurt **you…Suck… your… what?" he replied a little more firmly, his tongue lightly brushing her ear, as if on accident, causing the hair on the back of her neck to stand up.

Her mouth moved but words didn't quite come out, she took a deep steadying breath and tried once more, "Nothing…I was just being facetious…" she managed in a voice barely about a whisper.

He lightly dragged a claw down the side of her face, then trailed it down her neck, then down her chest and easily knocking the towel to the ground.

"That's just because you have no idea what I can do to your little body…but you want to find out…" he all but purred running his eyes down the length of her.

She promptly shook her head, "No I'm good really…" she told him trying to twist her arms from his grasp, she though about kicking him then remember what Hank said about self defense.

He laughed, taking a deep breath…"funny how sensitive virgins are to touch…" he lightly ran his finger over her bottom lip until they parted to inhale a particularly deep breath, then he slipped it inside her mouth.. He felt her teeth attempt to clamp down on it then she stopped thinking better of it, knowing he then could back hand her through a window. He slid his finger from her mouth smiling evenly, he barely brushed his wet finger over her nipple and they hardened immediately. She panted as he slid he finger downward over her stomach.

"Please don't…" she pleaded with him her voice still not above a whisper, her muscles tightening at his touch, her crotch burned steadily with anticipation. Then suddenly she fell to the floor and he was gone…she quickly wrapped the towel around herself again and moved to shut the door, not seeing Logan who laid off to the side staring emptily into nothingness.


End file.
